I was recently issued a underage drinking ticket while attending a football game. The initial fine amount was $177.00. Upon returning home, I found a letter in the mail (3 days later) stating the officer made a mistake in the amount and it was changed to $366.00.
Is an officers inability to write the correct amount on the ticket and later change it even legal? They sent a photocopied version of the ticket with the changed amount in the mail along with the ticket but the actual statute # remains the same.
Thank you
1 Answer from Attorneys
The cost of an underage drinking ticket should be the least of your worries since such convictions can show up on your driving record, regardless of the fact that they may not have involved driving, as well as revocation of your driver's license. My advice would be to hire an experienced criminal/traffic lawyer in order to make sure that these things do not occur. That may involve your going to classes at a local technical college about alcohol abuse or getting other treatment. The cost of all these things pales in comparison to the cost of car insurance for a youthful driver if an underage drinking conviction shows up on your record. Answering your specific question as to whether the citation can be amended legally, the answer is "yes," citations, just like any other charge, can legally be amended by the prosecuting agency at any time prior to sentencing. The judge, however, has the final say on the amount of the fine, assuming that you contest the ticket or at least go to court in order to present your arguments for a lower fine to the judge. My comments here are not intended as specific legal advice for you, unless you subsequently retain me a revisit this issue with me. Good luck!
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