What is a supporting deposition for a traffic or parking violation ticket, and how do I get one?
Answer
A supporting deposition is a document filled out by the police officer who issues a criminal traffic or parking ticket that has more information about why the officer issued the ticket. There will also be information about the time and location of the traffic stop. If you're issued a computer printed traffic ticket, the supporting deposition is often automatically included on a second page. If you are just issued the ticket without the deposition, there is a box you can check on the ticket when you return your plea to the court to get a copy of deposition. You must ask for the deposition within 30 days of the appearance date on your ticket, and the police officer who issued the ticket must return a copy of the deposition to you within 30 days of receiving the request.
A supporting deposition is defined in section 100.20 of the Criminal Procedure Law. The defendant's right to get a copy of a supporting deposition is described in section 100.25 of the Criminal Procedure Law. You can find links to more statutes related to supporting depositions and accusatory instruments below.
- Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) 100.15: Information, misdemeanor complaint and felony complaint; form and content
- CPL 100.30: Information, misdemeanor complaint, felony complaint, supporting deposition and proof of service of supporting deposition; verification
- CPL 100.40: Local criminal court and youth part of the superior court accusatory instruments; sufficiency on face
- CPL 150.10: Appearance ticket; definition, form and content
- New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 9, Part 6180: Mandatory Surcharge and Parking Violations Enforcement and Disposition Program