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Is a Former President Addressed as "President (name)"?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
I have been directing people to refer to a former president as "President Bush". And refer to the current president as "The President" per Letitia Baldridge's book New Complete Guide to Executive Manners pg. 324. Is that correct or am confused? Any advice?
--- Anna McDonald, Stafford, Virginia
Dear Ms. McDonald:
THE CURRENT PRESIDENT
I agree with Ms. Baldridge ... when you say The President will arrive in 10 minutes or Good evening Mr. President ... those are perfect.
All this is covered in my book by the way:
President of the United States
Note: While the President is referred to as President (surname) in the media, the President’s name is never used in his or her presence.
Envelope, official:
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Madam President:
Conversation: Mr./Madam President
A FORMER PRESIDENT
This issue is complicated since we hear former President's referred to as President Clinton and President Bush on the news all the time ... but those are in the third person, not forms of direct address.
Former President of the United States
Envelope, official:
The Honorable
(Full name)
(Address)
Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Ms. (surname):
Conversation: Mr./Ms. (surname)
This approach is traditional for any office for which there is only one office-holder at a time. So, witth officials such as Mayors, Governors or Presidents ... only the current office holder is addressed as Mr. Mayor, Governor, or Mr. President ... formers are not officially addressed that way.
That's not to say that a friend might not call a former Mayor "Mayor Smith" or a former President "President (Surname)" unofficially, socially, and as a courtesy ... but most formally and officially it would be the most incorrect.
With offices there are many at the same time ... Senators, Admirals, Judges, etc. ... and so it's not disrespectful to a single current office holder.
To explain the correct form I would say "using the title of her former position is flattering to the former official and he or she may not correct you, but not respectful to the current office holder. There's only one "(name of the office)" at a time."
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former President of the United States in Conversation?
Greeting from Canada. I will meet President Clinton in a few weeks in person. What would I call him when I meet him or when I introduce others to him: "Mr. Clinton", or "President Clinton? Thanks for your help.
-- Politico, Toronto
Hi Politico:
Former Presidents of the United States are directly addressed as "Mr. (Name)" ... not as "President (name)" ... and they are identified as "the former President of the United States".
You will hear the media say "President Clinton" so the listener is clear who is being discussed.
"The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton" .... is correct when you are using the FULL NAME in writing because once elected, officials are addresses as "The Honorable" for life. And that's the correct form for formal introduction -- like from a podium before his speech to the audience -- but you wouldn't address him that way in conversation.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Refer to a Former President of the United States?
Mr. Hickey, I learned forms of address before there were television "readers' who changed har-rass;' to har'-rass, gri-mace" to grim'ace, recently tried to change distri'-buted to "dis'-tributed" and spoke of then-president of the United States George W. Bush as "Mr. Bush", yet called former President Clinton, "President Clinton."
In the 1940s, I was taught that judges and senators were entitled to continue using their titles because there are many judges and senators, but since there is only one president at a time, a former president resumed an earlier title held by him. Thus, it is correct to refer to William Jefferson Clinton as "former President of the United States," but one should address him as "Governor Clinton."
You, I am certain, are much younger than I (practically everyone is!) and more cognizant of today's forms of address, so I would appreciate it if you would bring me up to date.
--- Mrs. S.L.S.
Hi Mrs. S.L.S.
What you hear in the media are not forms of address: they are reporters specifying for clarity in the third person a person in the context of their story. So, referring to "President Clinton" "President Kennedy" and "President Obama" are all clear ways of referring to a person in a written story or newscast.
In direct address "Mr. President" is still correct ... and IS USED CURRENTLY at the White House by The President's staff, government officials, and members of the diplomatic corp.
The one-at-a-time rule continues to be correct.
Eisenhower went back to "General Eisenhower" -- as you note -- there are plenty of generals. Plenty of admirals, senators, and judges too.
In Arkansas there is only one Governor at a time so I wouldn't call him "Governor Clinton" The correct form of direct address would be "Mr. Clinton." In a formal introduction from a podium you could identify him as The Honorable (full name), former Governor of Arkansas (year-to-year) and the 42nd President of the United States.
Note: There's a concept of a 'courtesy title' in which the continued use of an official honorific is circumstantial: some officials do just love to keep their titles as "a courtesy." I understand that Nixon was called "Mr. President" by his staff in private for the remainder of his life. But in Washington, in the presence of a current president, he would have been "Mr. Nixon."
OR -- I've seen Newt Gingrich referred to on the Sunday morning news shows as "Speaker Gingrich." It is wrong. He was "Mr. Speaker." Now he is "Mr. Gingrich, former Speaker of the House." I am certain he knows it's not correct, but for whatever reason he did not correct them.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address Bill, Hillary, Chelsea & Chelsea's fiancé?
Hi, Robert! As you know, I sing with Lionheart – and we sang at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last night. We were surprised by some special audience members – Bill and Hillary Clinton, Chelsea and Chelsea's fiancé.
Lionheart would like to send them a note thanking them for coming to come hear us. To whom should it be addressed? and what would be the proper salutation? I know it's “Mr. Clinton” and not “President Clinton”, but I'm not sure how to handle a mix of current office-holder, past President, daughter and daughter's fiancé all at once: “Dear Clintons,”?
-- Kurt-Owen Richards, The bass-baritone in Lionheart
Hi Kurt:
It’s great that the Clintons they came to hear you. I enjoyed your concert at The Cloisters earlier this month.
This is probably the most frequently asked question I get, though you are the FIRST PERSON who wasn't asking it as a rhetorical question!
The Clintons: For a social envelope it would be ....
The Honorable William Clinton
The Honorable Hillary Clinton
and Ms. Chelsea Clinton
(Address)
You could add "Jefferson" -- his middle name ... and "Rodham" to hers if you want to.
The salutation would be
Dear Mr. Clinton, Madame Secretary, and Ms. Clinton,
Bill is first because former Presidents are #5 on the White House Precedence List ... and current Secretaries of State are #6. I include a version of the White House Precedence List in my book to look up precisely this kind of thing.
The Fiance: His note would be addressed to him individually since he’s not a member of the family (yet). You don’t mention his name (I don’t know it and didn’t know she was engaged, actually) but he’d be a “Mr. (full name)” unless you know he’s a “Dr.” or something. If you don’t know his address mentioning his presence in the note to the Clintons would probably do.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address an Invitation's Inside Envelope to The Clintons?
Dear Mr. Hickey,
I just received your book and it is a wealth of information! I am addressing a wedding invitation to the Clinton's. I understand, per your answer, that the outer envelope would be addressed as follows:
The Honorable
William Jefferson Clinton
and The Honorable
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Would the inner envelope be addressed Mr. and Mrs. Clinton?
-- Many thanks, Claudia
Dear Ms. Engle
Really happy you are finding the book useful. Since you have it ... here's where where you should look to find the answers to your questions:
Refer to the precedence on page 122 to see that a former President has higher precedence than a current Secretary of State, so you know whose name goes first.
See on page 167 for the inside-envelope form for a former president
See on page 170 for the inside-envelope form for the inside envelope for a secretary of a department.
Having looked that those .... you would write:
Mr. Clinton and The Secretary of State
-- Robert Hickey
How To List an Former President of the United States?
Thank you for your site. I find it very useful. We have an event coming up in May and I want to be sure I have listed the public officials correctly in the program. I’m not quite sure how to list former President George W. Bush. My inclination is to list him has Former President George W. Bush. Is this correct? Your advice is greatly appreciated!
-- SS., American Wind Energy Association, Washington, DC
Dear SS:
Listing officials in a program is a bit different that addressing them directly, but if you want to use the form used in direct address ... it is absolutely O.K.
Former presidents are The Honorable:
The Honorable George W. Bush
Not sure you need to identify that he's a former president .... but if you need to list something after his name, consider ...
43rd President of the United States
Former President of the United States
President of the United States, 2001-2009
Let me know it this helps. I hate being left in the dark!
-- Robert Hickey |
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| How to Address a Former Foreign President?
We are heading to Russia tomorrow and we have their former president, Mikhail Gorbachev, attending a dinner we are hosting. What would the appropriate title be for him given that he is a former President?
-- Going to Moscow.
Dear Going to Moscow:
Around the world it is rare to address a former head of government by their former office's title. So, I would address him as "Mr. Gorbachev", and identify him as "the former president of ... "
Russians do not address their national officials with courtesy titles. But the embassy advises that when their current high officials travel abroad it is appropriate to use courtesy titles. So you could address the current president and premier by (office) or as His/Her Excellency.
-- Robert Hickey
How Do I Introduce a Former British Prime Minister to a Former Mexican President?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
Your material is fascinating and very helpful. In the case of wishing to introduce the former British Prime Minister and former President of Mexico during a spoken address, what's the right form?
--- Katherine Littefield, New York
Dear Ms. Littlefield:
You didn't mention which individuals, but I am going to answer using Tony Blair and Vicente Fox. If you were going to introduce them to the audience -- here are some good forms:
Tony Blair would be The Right Honourable Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007. A British prime minister will have been appointed to the Privy Council, and as a Privy Counsellor is The Right Honourable for life.
Vicente Fox would be Vicente Fox, President of the United States of Mexico from 2000-2006. Mexicans don't use the courtesy titles when addressing their officials, so I'd use just (first name)+(last name) for Vincente Fox.
Of course you could describe them as formers. Or the United States we identify former Presidents by their number, e.g., the 43rd President. But maybe including the years provides a bit more information? So, do it however you like.
Using the formal country names (e.g., United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is correct .... just like we most formally say "The President of the United States of America."
FYI, I cover all this in my book: the UK, Mexico and more than 180 other countries.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former Speaker of the House of Representatives?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What is the proper form of address for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich? Can I call him "Speaker Gingrich"?
--- Sarah Buchanan
Dear Ms. Buchanan.
You do hear former Speakers of the United States House of Representatives referred to as "Speaker (name)" but usually that's because the reporter doesn't know any better.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich is directly addressed as "Mr. Gingrich" rather than "Speaker Gingrich" in spite of what might see on "Meet The Press" or "Face the Nation". If you were writing a letter to a former speaker, address it as "The Honorable Newt Gingrich." If you were introducing him from a podium you would say "the Honorable Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives."
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former State Attorney General?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What is the proper form of address for former state attorney general?
--- J.H. in the office of an attorney general and associate attorney general
Dear J.H.:
In the United States, if he/she was an “Honorable" when in office, in writing he/she will continue to be “The Honorable (full name)” for the rest of his/her life.
In conversation, address a former state attorney general as “Mr./Ms. (name)”. In a state there is only one attorney general at a time. Former officials who hold a title of which there is more than one at a time -- retired judges, retired ambassadors, retired generals, retired senators and many others -- use their “title” in every situation for the rest of their lives, but attorney generals don't use anything except "Mr./Ms.".
All this assuming he/she left office under good terms. Those who leave a high office in disgrace do not continue to be addressed as "The Honorable."
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former Secretary of State?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
First, if you were working with a former secretary, say former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, would you still address her as Madame Secretary? I think now that she's out of office she will be just Ms. Rice, or perhaps Dr. Rice -- the form of address she had before she took office and was on the faculty of Stanford University. Right?
Second, if I am right, how do you delicately inform an executive who strongly feels she is still "Secretary Rice"?
--- Kelly Roberts McLean
Dear Ms. McLean:
You are right. She is officially "Dr./Ms. Rice" in direct address and identified as "former Secretary of State".
To explain the correct form I would say "using the title of her former position is flattering to Condoleezza Rice and she may not correct you, but not respectful Secretary Clinton, the current office holder. There's only one "Secretary of State" at a time."
-- Robert Hickey
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| How to Address a Former Governor Who Held Other Positions?
My former boss passed away last week. He was a U.S. Senator and a two time Oklahoma Governor. He was a Governor, Senator, then Governor. We are debating how to refer to him in programs and announcements -- as Senator -- the higher office or as Governor -- the last office? Thanks!
-- Just Wondering in Oklahoma
Dear JWIO:
Think about it in the most formal way: would a former governor be called Governor (name) in the presence of the current governor? He would not.
Former governors are not 'officially' addressed as Governor (name) because there is only one Governor of a state at a time ... and doing do is not respectful of the state's current governor.
This holds true for other offices where there is a single office holder ... The Speaker of the House ... the Mayor of a City .... the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
WHEREAS there are many senators, admirals, judges, ambassadors at a time ... so calling a former office holder by one of those titles is not in conflict with a current office holder.
So most correctly he is addressed by his highest, non-exclusive honorific:
Senator (Name) a man who served as Governor twice ...
When Dwight Eisenhower left the presidency he went back to General Eisenhower.
That's also what Albert Gore has done ... he's back to Senator Gore, because he can't be Mr. Vice President.
Bill Clinton and George W. Bush don't have a title to go back to so they are both "Mr."
... and Colin Powell is not longer Mr. Secretary or Secretary Powell ... He's back to General Powell.
-- Robert Hickey Robert
Yea! I knew it! In Oklahoma, every person who is a former governor is called governor by those who address him in every social setting I am attending. Do the Okie's just not know any better? They are not doing this in front of current Governor, just in the addressing of any former governor. So, if I see former governor what do I call him? It's not just the Okie's ... it just people repeating what they hear the newscasters say.
If you had been President of some local club ... there would doubtlessly be someone who would continue to call you President (Your Last Name) just to flatter you. Not technically or traditionally correct ... but it happens.
I have seen hosts of the Sunday morning programs interview Newt Gingrich and call him Speaker Gingrich ... it's not right, but when I observed, he did not correct them on air.
I see people doing lots of ill advised things ... that they do them -- doesn't make them right. They are either lazy or don't know any better.
If you meet a former governor and call him "Mr." it won't offend him ... because he will know what's right.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former Governor in Conversation?
I read a story recently which said that the organizers of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s book tour have asked the public to address her as “Governor Palin” at her book signings. Is that proper?
-- William Perry
Dear Mr. Perry:
It's not traditionally correct. She is Ms. Palin.
She is not correctly addressed as Mayor Palin because Wasilla has a new mayor, and she is not addressed as Governor Palin because Alaska has a new governor.
Here is the tradition behind this: Jobs of which there is only one at a time ... Governor, Mayor, President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chairman of a Board, .... do not continue to be directly addressed in writing or conversation by their former "office" because it is not respectful to the current office holder and confusing to those in the (organization/state/whatever) as to who is currently in charge.
Jobs of which many hold the same office at the same time DO continue to be addressed by their former honorific ... Senator, Judge, Captain, Admiral, General, Professor .... after leaving their position.
Having worked with many 'formers' I find that 99% of the time they know their correct honorific. But the handlers may not know what's correct and encourage the reference to the former position -- which I suspect is the case here.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Letter to a Former Governor?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What is the proper form of address when writing a letter to a former Governor? When he calls, he says "This is Governor (surname)” even though he is no longer the Governor. I have made it “The Honorable (full name)” in the letter's address block, and “Dear Governor (surname)” in the salutation. Sound right?
--- Lonnie Sue Reardon
Dear Ms. Reardon:
His name in the letter’s address block is easy. A former governor is The Honorable (full name).
But ... the saluation (in this case) is a two part answer
PART #1 Only a Governor in office is formally and officially addressed as Governor (name). The correct salutation for a former governor is Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (name): The reason? There is only one Governor at at time!
PART #2 However, if you know it's his preference to be addressed as Governor (name) follow "the preference of the bearer." It doesn’t make it correct for others, but I’d honor any person’s preference what they are called.
For example, if we met and you introduce yourself as Monsignor Lonnie Sue I would think "a monsignor is Catholic priest and always man." SO its "unlikely" you are a monsignor. But I'd call you Monsignor Lonnie Sue to your face: It's not up to me to decide what your name is.
However I wouldn’t think you’d changed what was correct for others.
-- Robert Hickey NOTE: I got an interesting e-mail from H.D. about
my advice on addressing Monsignor Lonnie Sue.
Click here to read his note.
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How to Address an Invitation to a Former Mayor?
Hi Robert:
I am addressing an invitation to a former mayor. How do I correctly do that??
--- Karen Szczpanski Hi Karen:
Address the invitation's envelope line-for-line like this:
The Honorable (Full name)
Address
If your invitation has an inside envelope use this:
Mr./Mrs./Dr./etc. (Surname):
Sometimes you will see or hear former mayors addressed as Mayor (name) but it is not correct, Address a former mayor as Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (whatever honorific they had before becoming mayor) (Name). The reason? In a city there is only one mayor at a time. It's not respectful to the current officer holder, and is potentially confusing to be addressing more than one person as Mayor (Name).
This contrasts with officials of which there is more than one office holder at a time -- e.g, there are many judges, ambassadors, generals, admirals, professors, senators etc. at a time -- and these former office holders DO use their (Professional Honorific)+(Name) in every situation for the rest of their lives.
And one more question: did the mayor leave office on good terms? Those who leave a high office in disgrace do not continue to be addressed as The Honorable.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former Member of the House of Representatives?
I am meeting one of our former congressional representatives next week, and I am wondering if it is still appropriate to address them as Congressman or Representative, even though they have been voted out of office?
-- Peter Michaels
Dear Mr, Michaels:
Short answer is that Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name) is the absolutely correct way to address a former member of the House of Representatives.
Now for a longer answer:
#1 Current members of the US House address each other as Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name). That's the tradition. They don't use "Congressman" or "Represetative" as an honorific.
So most formally you may address both current and former congressional representative as Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name), If you introduce a former member to someone ... you could then add that he/she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 19XX to 20XX for the XXX Congressional District of (State)... or something similiar.
I've spoken to many Members of the House Representatives on just this point and while some like prefer "Representative (name)" or "Congressman (name)" .... all agree that Mr./Ms./Mrs. (name) is absolutely correct.
#2 On the other hand ... just to make sure everyone knows who they are .... current members do not object to being addressed as Representative (name) and Congressman (name). I'd describe that as a "practice" ... it's unofficial ... and done at the preference of the individual. It's not a rule one can safely apply to all.
But after all that -- former members don't get a special honorific.
-- Robert Hickey
How To Address a Former Congressman with Degrees?
Dear Mr. Hickey
We need the correct salutation for a former congressman who may or may not have a formal Ph.D. but who has 45 honorary degrees. Do we address him in a personal invitation as Dear “Dr. Surname”, “Mr. Surname”, “Congressman”, or drop the “Dear” altogether and put instead “To The Honorable First Name, Last Name”?
-- Nancy Calvin
Dear Ms. Calvin,
Holders of an honorary doctorate do not use "Dr." as an honorific.
I avoid "Congressman" or "Representative" unless I knew it was his preference. Most formally former members of the US House of Representatives are in conversation and in a salutation as Mr./Ms./Mrs. (name).
Use "The Honorable (Full Name)" on his envelope and the address block of the letter. He's "the Honorable" for life.
If this is complicated, see pages 180-181 of my book. It's all layed out in black and white there.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Retired Sheriff
I will be sending a letter to a retired sheriff. In the heading, he will be addressed as The Honorable Joseph Smith. Should the salutation read: Dear Sheriff Smith:?
-- Gordon Ring
Dear Mr. Ring:
When there is only one official holding an office at a time ... just one Mayor, one Chief of Police, one Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, one Speaker of the House, one President of the United States ... former office holders don't continue the use of their former office's honorific.
Whereas ... Generals, Admiral, Judges, Senators ... of which there are many all at the same time ... DO continue to use their office's honorific in retirement.
So ... Yes now and forever he will be addressed as The Honorable Joseph Smith .... but only the current sheriff would be addressed as Dear Sheriff (surname). So ... in the salutation use Dear Mr. Smith.
That's not to say friends and acquaintances might not call him Sheriff informally and socially and to flatter him, but at the Court House he is definitely Mr.
-- Robert Hickey
Referring to Former Officials
by their Former Office in the Third Person?
One thing I find missing is how one should reference a former United States Official in descriptive text or to a third party. I notice that former Governor Huckabee is always introduced as Governor Huckabee on his TV show. Is this correct, incorrect, or optional? I assume it is correct to use their official titles when describing their actions in office.
-- MLB
Dear MLB:
Mike Huckabee would not be referred to as "Governor Huckabee" at the Governor's Mansion, in Washington, D.C., at the State Capital, or in the U.S. Capital. He'd be "Mike Huckabee, former Governor of ..." or "Mr. Huckabee."
Perhaps the producers of the show are concerned everyone won't know who he is?
Former officials who hold a position of which there is more than one at a time -- retired judges, retired ambassadors, retired generals, retired senators, retired bishops etc. -- use their “title” in every situation for the rest of their lives. But officials of which there there is only one at a time (The Governor, The President of the United States, The Speaker of the House, The Secretary of State, The Surgeon General ...) don't continue use of their former title. They use what they were entitled before taking the one-at-a-time position. E.g., Dwight Eisenhower in retirement went back to "General Eisenhower" He was no longer The President". Same with Colin Powell ... he's no longer "Mr. Secretary" or "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" ... he's General Powell. Bill Clinton is now "Mr. Clinton." When you hear a TV journalist saying "President Clinton" it's a short-hand third-person phrase to quickly tell the viewer who is being discussed. It's not a form of address.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Former Member of a City Council?
How do you address a letter to a former city council person?
-- Zoning on AOL
Dear Zoning:
The rule is "once an Honorable, always an Honorable." So anyone elected to public office would be addressed (forever) on the envelope and on the letter as:
The Honorable (First name + Last Name)
(Address)
Note however:
1) Not all municipalities of address the members of their council as "The Honorable." Most due, but some don't. So if you know he or she wasn't addressed that way (by local tradition) while in office I wouldn't do it now.
2) "The Honorable" would always be used when writing the person as a former member of the city council, or if the letter is completely social -- like a wedding invitation.
However If he/she is your insurance broker, and you are writing to him/her about a claim from a flood in your basement, you might just use "Mr./Ms. (full name)."
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Retired Police Officer or Fire Fighter?
How would you address a retired county or municipal police officer or fire fighter?
Would you follow the same rules as one would with retired armed services officials since many public safety organizations are para-military and follow a similar rank structure as our armed services?
Would it be proper to use LAPD Captain Robert Esposito, (Retired)
-- ALR
Dear ALR,
If a police officer in the police or fire department wants to continue using his/her rank it's totally at his/her preference.
In speaking to some Police organizations they tell me that sometimes retired officials DO use their ranks in the context of "being a retired officer" (e.g., at a retired officer's meeting) ... and they may use is socially among friends and family.
But if they take another job they DON'T use their rank in a civilian work situation. This is the same as the armed services which prohibit retired personnel from using ranks or ratings at another form of work. You can't have a retired Air Force officer now working for Boeing, selling planes to the Air Force and wanting to be addressed by rank!
And detectives often don't use their rank at any time not wanting to draw attention to their work.
In terms of style, the name would be written on official documents like this
Captain Robert Esposito, LAPD Retired
or
Captain Robert Esposito, LAPD Ret.
These are the forms all the style manuals use for official mail.
Neither "LAPD" nor the "Retired" is noted on social correspondence.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a former Vice President?
How do I address the envelope and what is the proper salutation and closing on the thank you note to Dick Cheney ... the former vice president of the United States?
-- About to write a letter
Dear ATWAL:
While in office vice presidents are addressed as Mr. Vice President and they don't continue that when they leave office.
Envelope and address block on the letter:
The Honorable (Full Name)
(Address)
The salutation would depend on what their highest former honorific.
* Dick Cheney's was "Mr." so he is: Dear Mr. Cheney:
* Walter Mondale and Albert Gore both went back to their highest former honorific ... Dear Senator (surname): ... which is used by former Senators.
For the closing use the very formal: Very Respectfully,
-- Robert Hickey
Is a Former Judge Still "The Honorable"?
Dear Robert,
I have a question regarding a former district court judge (in New Hampshire) that has returned to private practice. Would this person still be called "The Hon.," or would that be inappropriate because of his new role?
--- Mark in New Hampshire
Hi Mark
The rule is "once The Honorable, always The Honorable."
So, address the official envelope:
The Honorable (full name)
(Name of Firm)
Address
Retired judges are usually addressed in conversation as "Judge (surname)"
However this judge might not be using "judge" as an honorific. A judge who has returned to private practice would be addressed as "Mr. (surname)" professionally. That way he would not be addressed as "Judge (surname)" in court in the presence of the presiding judge!
But that said ... friends might orally address him as Judge (surname) socially.
We have a tradition in the US of using only one 'honorific" at a time. E.g., an Navy Captain who is a Doctor, might be addressed as "Captain (surname)" when he is your commanding officer, and as "Dr. (surname)" when he is examining your injured foot. But he is never "Captain Dr." or "Dr. Captain."
-- Robert Hickey
Capitalization of the "Y" in Your Honor?
I have a question about capitalization. We actually have a post where readers can submit questions about capitalization, and in our post we discuss honorifics. Our advice to readers was to capitalize honorifics such as 'Your Honor.' A guest left a comment stating:
"I beg to differ about your Honor. The court reporters in New York City have never capitalized the “y” in “your” while capitalizing the “H” in “Honor.” this has been consistent for decades (I started practicing here in 1973.)"
My question is - should that 'y' be capitalized at all times, or not? My first instinct would be yes, as both words 'Your Honor' take the place of the judge's name and are meant to honor him or her. In any case, I'd like to be able to answer this reader. Thanks so much for any help you can give us! I'll be glad to give you credit in my answer.
-- Samantha at PricelessWriters
Dear Samantha @ PW:
I like your logic, but the closest I can suggest is when the courtesy title is at the beginning of a line ... the article is capitalized ... but when it is in the middle of a sentence, then the article is not: For example.
On an envelope:
The Honorable Michael Bloomberg
Mayor of New York
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
But in a sentence, the "the" is not capitalized:
Today at 2:00 p.m. there will be an address by the Honorable Michael Bloomberg ...
Of course it is not exactly comparable since Your Honor is an oral form in the US ... not a written form ... so it would not be on an invitation or letter. Your Honor is form used principally in the court room. Salutations are based on oral forms of address, but a salutation to a judge would be Judge Smith not Your Honor.
Note to other readers: here are the links to Samantha's blog (a really good source) at PricelessWriters: The original post on capitalization / and the blog of the questions they receive.
-- Robert Hickey
More on Capitalization of the "Y" in Your Honor #2?
What do you suggest when writing to a court when you do not know the name of the judge, but know that the document will in fact be read by a judge? You indicate 'Your Honor' is an oral form, but what about when it must be written? (Case in point, it's written herein.)
I suggest that in that case Your Honor follow the same rule as Your Highness or Your Majesty. In short, the Y and H are capitalized.
-- RC @ comcast.net
Dear RC:
I am not so sure Your Honor is something that "must be written." I know this is a hypothetical question, but I can't imagine I would direct a letter to a court and not find out exactly to whom it should be addressed.
* Letters to a known judge are correctly addressed to Dear Judge (surname).
* Letters to any unknown person ... including a unknown judge at a court ... are best addressed to Dear Sir: or Dear Sirs: or Dear Sir or Madam: etc.
Samantha's previous note was more of a copyediting question than a forms of address question, and I will leave the copyediting issues those professional copy editors who make all the other writers look so good.
-- Robert Hickey
How to List a Judge in a Journal's Table of Contents?
Mr. Hickey,
If a student law journal is publishing an article by a judge, should they list him in the table of contents as Honorable (first name, last name) or just by name?
-- Jason Brand
Dear Mr. Brand,
Most formally in written direct address he or she is:
The Honorable (first name, last name)
Then after his name identify him as "Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of New York" or whatever ...
In a academic journal ... if academic post-nominals are appropriate ... "The Honorable" is never used with post-nominal
YES: (First name. last name), JD
NO: The Honorable (first name. last name), JD
I've seen Harry Reid, Senator from Utah referred to in a law journal as Harry Reid, JD, then they went on to identify him as the "Majority Leader and Senior Senator from Utah ..."
A 'by line' in a journal is not a direct form of address so the rules of 'how to address a letter' are not so definitive.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address a Judge and His Spouse?
I am writing a letter from a High School to a Judge and his wife regarding their child. What is the proper greeting? Dear ............ ??
-- Thanks, D.N.
Dear D.N.:
On pages 145-146 in my chapter on Joint Forms of Address I answer this question.
The most formal salutation would be:
Dear Judge Jennings and Mrs. Jennings:
Most formally people who hold high offices get their full name as a unit ... so Dear Judge and Mrs. Jennings would not be traditionally correct. Wives who use the same surname as their spouses traditionally lose their given name with addressed along with their husband.
-- Robert Hickey
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