Character Reference! – Ask Doctor Bitcoin

First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this. Your careful consideration to this is immensely helpful, and I value both it and your friendship.

Secondly, these forms are just here to help you put something together without investing a ton of your valuable time on the matter, but if you'd prefer something a bit more organic, I have a Google Doc with this stuff typed out you can copy and use, linked here.

If you choose to use the google doc, please print it out, and sign it, and scan it back so I can provide it to my lawyer and the judge at sentencing.

Alternatively, you can fill out and customize this letter using the forms, and then sign using your mouse or touchscreen. After you hit submit, it'll show you a copy of your letter all put together. If there's anything about it you'd like fixed, let me know via email (address here).

Finally, regarding data retention, this data is stored on this server, but once I finish collecting letters from folks, I will wipe this form off the server and store it in an offline thumbdrive until the case is settled one way or another, to be kept in my safe and another copy with my lawyer.

Name(Required)

Salutation First Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Multiple Choice Section

This is the easy stuff.

I am aware that Mark Hopkins has pleaded guilty to the operation of an unlicensed money services business (18 US Code § 1960).(Required)

Yes.

This sentence will appear verbatim at the top of the letter.

Date we met(Required)

Throw in a date where we met, as close as you can get. This will be used in the letter in the following sentence: "I have known Mark since ."

Freeform Response

This is a bit more work, admittedly, but if I had everyone just click multiple choice answers for all my reference letters, they wouldn't be particularly convincing to the judge.

Job Description(Required)

Just a word or two describing your job. "Engineer," or "Doctor" or "Freelance Journalist." Whatever you call yourself.

Character Description(Required)

This is the part where you can describe your thoughts on my character. Obviously, this is something positive (you can roast me in any other forum, of course, just not in a letter to a judge, please). Ideally, you'll be speaking to my ethics and general business practices would be what we’re looking for here, since this is a business process crime. If you only know me on a personal level, you can constrain your comments to how I interact with friends and family on a personal level. One or two short sentences is fine here. The form is pre-filled with some sample ideas. Please edit or re-write your own.

Are we working on a project together? (optional)

If we're working on a project together, feel free to give it the ol' elevator pitch here. Obviously, emphasizing the public good aspects of our project will help.

More Multiple Choice

See, I'm making it super easy.

Attesting that 'Mark has learned his lesson.'(Required)

In my opinion, had Mark Hopkins been made aware of the proper federal guidelines, he would have ensured he was compliant.

The above text will be in the letter more or less verbatim, along with whatever you select below. I am advised that the judge wants to be assured that regardless of the circumstances that lead to the violation, I've 'learned my lesson' and will not repeat the mistake.

Why will mark not repeat this mistake?(Required)

especially given that it is a free form to fill out on a website.

given that this is consistent with the way he conducts himself in other aspects of life.

given that this is consistent with the way he conducts himself in other aspects of business

given that he has a family and a professional network to support, and doesn’t want to endanger them in any way.

Other

This is the second half of the sentence from above. This adds more weight and customization to your letter to the judge.

Wrapping this up. We're almost done.

Mark won't do it again.(Required)

This is free form, but I've pre-filled it out with some sample sentence structure.. just customize it in your own words.

If you'd like to confirm any of the above information, please don't hesitate to contact me at this number.(Required)

This sentence, with your number, will be in the letter to provide the judge with some way to verify the letter, though I don't anticipate they will actually make the call to do so.

Signoff

We're done! Just sign this, please.

Pick your favorite signoff.(Required)

Signature

Please sign this - it will appear at the bottom of the letter.

Letter Form

Multiple Choice Section

Freeform Response

More Multiple Choice

Wrapping this up. We're almost done.

Signoff