In the United States the Honorable is a courtesy title used with the names of current and retired high-ranking federal and state officials and judges, and with some local officials. It is not used with the names of the deceased.

When speaking to a judge in court, ‘your honor’, ‘judge’, or addressing one as ‘sir’ or ‘mam’, are all equally acceptable. It is more a sign of respect than anything else. It should be noted that members of congress and the various US cabinet members and even former presidents are all correctly addressed as “The Honorable…”.

Why Are Judges Called Honorable? “Your honor,” as it does for judges today, should still symbolize the fact that judges deserve to receive an extra layer of respect. As judges, you will be expected to issue unbiased, unbiased, consistent, and reliable judgment about legal and criminal matters in general and criminal matters in particular.

The Honourable, a style or title of honour common to the United Kingdom, the countries of the Commonwealth, and the United States. It is taken from the French honorable and ultimately derived from the Latin honorabilis (“worthy of honour”). Edward Gibbon equates the late Roman title of clarissimus with “honourable” as applied to the lowest of the three grades of rank in the …

Honorable Judge: Typically you use Honorable Judge in formal writing or speech when you refer to the judge in the third person. Example: The Honorable Judge presiding in this court ruled that the evidence is admissible. You could also use “ Honorable Judge ” to address the judge directly in formal written communication, such as a formal letter.