Capitalize Title Used as Direct Address
Capitalization
Rulebase Summary
Capitalize professional titles when a person is being addressed by that title without a surname — Doctor, Professor, Lieutenant, Senator. Do not abbreviate these titles when used as direct address.
Examples
Q. Tell me, doctor, when did you first examine the patient?
Q. Tell me, Doctor, when did you first examine the patient?
A professional title used as direct address without a surname is capitalized.
THE COURT: Counselor, please approach the bench.
THE COURT: Counselor, please approach the bench.
In the courtroom, counselor functions as a professional title of direct address and is capitalized.
Transcript Notes
Sometimes a speaker uses the word 'officer' because of uncertainty about the exact rank — technically officer should not be capitalized. Words like sir, madam, and miss are not professional titles and should not be capitalized. Other common nouns of address that are substitutes for names should not be capitalized either (fella, girl, honey, bud, babe, sweetheart, wiseguy).
In the courtroom, counselor and counsel take on the quality of a professional title — capitalize only when used as a noun of direct address. Always capitalize the word 'Honor' when it refers to the judge (Your Honor, Her Honor, His Honor). Whether 'his/her/your' before Honor is capitalized varies by jurisdiction — follow local style.
Capitalize Judge, Bailiff, Clerk, Counsel, etc. when used in direct address (e.g., 'I want to know, Sergeant, what your impression is').
Style Guide References (6)
Morson's
BGGP
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BGGP
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