What will a cop do if.....?

I was military police in my enlisted days, and worked for 5 years in California as private security, with a lot of contact with local police. If you refuse to sign a traffic violation, the police officer has two choices: [Edit: Option 1 is apparently not available in CA, according to Mikey, who actually is CA L.E. So that answers that question.]

1st: He can have a witness (another cop) witness your refusal to sign, write "Refused to sign" on the ticket, and go on his way. If you try to say he never gave it to you, etc, he has a witness.

2nd: Technically, you just refused to sign a promise to appear in court. Now, you can sit in a cell and wait. After all, what's to say you will come back if you're refusing to agree to? Unlikely you'll actually wait till your court date, but you can if you wanna play hardball.

The decision will depend upon department protocol, officer's discretion, what kind of violation, and your demeanor (which is probably no good since you're refusing to sign).

If you don't wanna appear, you can pay the fine (and be guilty). I was once cited in Georgia on my way to Ft. Benning. The court date coincided with Field Training (not easy to get out of). I called the courthouse, rescheduled (they are kind if you are) and made my date. Actually, I got out of the ticket in court, my cop was the kind that gives LE a bad name, and it showed.

I was also ticketed in Texas when I was due to be in Hawaii for my wedding by the court date. I was guilty (very, very guilty) and knew that rescheduling wasn't going to help. So I of course paid the fine, took the class, and drove slower from then on.

Basically, the only way to fight it is to go to court. If you don't appear, you are guilty, fined, and expected to pay. If you will take that route, do so from the beginning, mailing in your ticket. That way they don't throw in "Failure to Appear" as an additional charge.

Technically, when you get a traffic citation, you are being arrested.

Your signature is your promise to appear AND you are signing the citation as a 'bond' to appear.

If you refuse to sign, you'll be arrested, you vehicle towed and you'll go to jail. Then, you can hire an attorney or pay a bondsman to get out of jail.

Appearing in court for a violation of the law is not optional, which is exactly why you can be arrested for refusing to sign a citation. If you fail to appear in court and return to life, when you attempt to renew your license you will be denied.

Signing the ticket is not an admission of guilt, it is just to confirm you received it.

They could legally take you into custody and hold you for bond, but the actual procedure may vary by county.

I can't tell you, because in MN the person receiving the citation does not have to sign anything, we just hand over the citation. If the person refuses to take it, that's on them, as they will obviously fail to pay for it or go to court.

In the state where I'm from they can don't know about california. My advise is just sign it your not pleading guilty it just promising your going to be in court at that date and time you can always fight your traffic ticket in court.

You'll be arrested.My son didn't believe it.I received a phone call from jail at 10:30 one night.I left him there.

They'll take you down to the station and probably keep you there until you sign it. Or you'd face the same consequences you would if you didn't pay for it.

it would probably depend on what state/county you were pulled over in. and there is such a thing as mail if you choose not to appear.

Yes they can either issue a warrant for your arrest or arrest you there and impound your car.