Can a Cop Change a Ticket After It is Written? Possible or Rumor?

Receiving a traffic ticket is obviously frustrating and substantially impacts your monthly budget by adding some additional expenditures. But what if you see there is some wrong information or a wrong elaboration of the event in the ticket? 

This context can be both favorable and unfavorable for you. Whatever the case, the inclusion of accurate information in a ticket is essential. In this case, surely you are going to ask the police to make the necessary corrections. But can a cop change a ticket after it is written? We detail the answer here.

Why a Ticket Needs to Be Changed After It Is Written?

Below are some crucial reasons.

1. Wrong Data

If the police write down some incorrect information regarding the incident, the ticket must be changed. Here, wrong information can include the wrong date, time, place, vehicle number, name, driving license number, etc. 

Though the mistakes can be considered small as there is other data with accurate information, they can still create a massive problem in the future. In particular, the ticket’s resolution may come with much higher negative outcomes in court.

2. Wrong Citation

Well, whether you have caused an accident or violated a traffic rule, the cop will mention the respective law(s) that have been violated by you. But if the official mistakenly mentions the wrong law’s violation, it can create severe problems in the future. 

For instance, the cost of breaking a simple traffic rule like inappropriate lane changing is not the same as damaging other properties like vehicles, establishments, causing physical harm, etc. So, in the case of a wrong citation, the ticket must be changed.

Related Article: Why and How Can You Get a Ticket Days After an Accident?

Can a Cop Change a Ticket After It Is Written? Is it Possible?

If you ask can a cop change a ticket after it is written, to answer the question appropriately, two situations should be considered. First is the identification of the mistakes in the ticket on the spot, and the second is the identification of the mistake(s) later on.

Mistake Identified on the Spot

Well, if you see any wrong information on the ticket while on the spot, you can ask the officer. He or she may void it by providing justification to the supervisor and issuing a new ticket. In this case, you do not have any responsibility. The officer is responsible for justifying the reasons for voiding the ticket.

Mistake Identified Later

In this case, there are three solutions. Check them out one by one.

1. Voiding the Previous Ticket

After your attorney notifies the respective official or police station about the wrong information’s inclusion in the ticket, they may void it. By providing proper justification to the respective in-charge, the official can get the ticket void while issuing a new ticket with accurate information or citation, as applicable.

2. Correction of Ticket

In this case, after you contact the police and notify them about the mistake, he or she may report the issue to the respective officer in charge with proper justification. The person in charge usually possesses adequate authority to make any changes to the ticket that is already in the system.

3. Correction of the Ticket in Court

Here, your lawyer’s intervention is greatly needed. The lawyer will contact the respective police officer and inform him or her about the mistakes. Following this, the officer will issue a written note mentioning the right information or citation. This paper, along with the original ticket, needs to be submitted to the prosecutor for any required corrections. The prosecutor will then do the necessary paperwork and come up with a corrected ticket.

4. Getting the Judge’s Decision

Do you know that a ticket with wrong information can result in the dismissal of the case? Yes, it is. There are numerous examples of such occurrences. In this case, your attorney just has to prove that the information included in the ticket does not match the actual one. 

For instance, if the vehicle’s number is wrong on the ticket, it proves that the vehicle does not belong to you. The summary is thrown out of the citation.

5 Consequences of Changing a Ticket After It Is Written

The possible consequences are listed below.

1. The police officer’s credibility may become questionable in terms of unprofessionalism.
2. It can create a perception of favouritism by showing that the officer’s act (chaining the ticket) benefits a particular driver or is to avoid negative consequences for themselves.
3. The change may result in a deeper investigation of the incident.
4. It may violate your and the officer’s ethical standpoints.
5. It will degrade the credibility of the cop as a witness.

Importance of Accuracy in a Traffic Ticket

Accurate information in a traffic ticket is crucial for the respective driver and cop. Below is an explanation.

For Drivers

• May have to pay a higher fine than the actual.
• Wrong information inclusion and a wrong citation violate the rights of the driver.
• It can negatively impact the insurance and driving history.

For the Cop

• It can make him or her feel embarrassed in court.
• The cop’s mistake may allow questioning of the whole legal system.
• Losing credibility in court.

Final Words

We expect that our elaboration on can a cop change a ticket after it is written will help you if you see wrong information included in the given ticket. In most cases, the issue can be resolved by notifying the respective police officer. However, we always suggest you contact the officer or prosecutor through an experienced car lawyer. After filing the ticket, it becomes a legal issue, and your direct contact may have some negative outcomes.

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