R.I. Traffic Trib. R. P. 3

(a) Content. The summons shall consist of a listing of

the civil violations alleged by the issuing officer and a requirement that the defendant

appear in court on the date and time and at the place indicated thereon. For the

purposes of these rules, the terms “ticket,” “citation,” “eCitation,” and “summons”

are synonymous and may be used interchangeably. The content and form of the

summons and eCitation shall be prescribed by the chief magistrate of the traffic

tribunal, subject to the approval of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

(b) Signature and Service. The summons shall be signed by the issuing officer

alleging that the facts contained therein are true, and served upon the defendant in

person or by mailing the summons to the defendant as set forth in Rule 33, which

shall be sufficient proof of actual notice in adjudications of civil violations of the

motor vehicle code or other applicable statute to justify the entry of a default

judgment in all cases where the defendant fails to appear in court on the date and

time and at the place indicated thereon.

(c) Mandatory Hearing and Administrative Payments. The issuing officer

shall note on the summons whether the violation requires a hearing or is one which

may be eligible to be paid administratively pursuant to law. If eligible for

administrative payment, the officer shall also note on the summons the full amount

of the fine[s] required to be paid.

(d) Notice of Violation. A summons which provides the defendant and the court

with adequate notice of the violation being charged shall be sufficient if the violation

is charged by using the name given to the violation by statute. The summons shall

state for each count the official or customary citation of any statute that the defendant

is alleged to have violated. An error or omission in the summons shall not be grounds

for a reduction in the fine owed, for dismissal of the charged violation(s), or for

reversal of a conviction if the error or omission did not mislead the defendant to his

or her prejudice.

(e) Amendment of the Summons. A summons may be amended by leave of

court, by written consent of the adverse party, or at hearing; and leave shall be freely

given when justice so requires.