Officer made mistake, now wants to reissue ticket

[annalisanoell]

A police officer gave me a ticket for driving without insurance, now he has come to my house and told my parents what happened, since he made a mistake on the ticket and wanted to find me so that he could reissue the ticket. I am 18 and no longer live at home, so he had no legal right to tell my parents anything. Also is he allowed to reissue the ticket since he made a mistake and marked the wrong court on the ticket?

 

[lwpat]

The ticket is public information and he can tell anyone he pleases. He can also correct the ticket.

 

[CdwJava]

It all depends on the laws in your un-named state.

In general, your citation or arrest are a matter of public record so nothing was likely improper about telling your parents about it.

Also, a citation can generally be amended at any time before court. If a NEW citation is the common practice in your locale, then so be it. Out here, we generally send a form articulating the amendment ... but, every state and jurisdiction has different rules and practices.

- Carl

 

[annalisanoell]

I'm in Oregon, Clackamas County and I've heard from several people that the officer should not be able to do this, but I'm not sure. Besides all that I am really pissed that he showed up at my parents house and told them all of this information. My step-mother, the one who he actually told the information has been trying to use it against me to gain ownership of my car.

 

[CdwJava]

Well, as I mentioned, the citation is almost certainly public record so there should be no foul in letting anyone know about it. Your step mother can't use your citation to take possession of a car she does not own, so unless she owns it, then it's a moot point.

As for whether issuing a new citation is permissible or not in OR, I can't say. I suspect there is a method for amending a citation, so one way or another you will have to deal with the violation. Unless these "several people" are attorneys or local peace officers, I doubt they have any more definitive an answer than I do.

- Carl