Signature on Tickets

[kkth]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Colorado

I got a minor ticket for "Fail to yield the right of way" last weekend. I didn't think it was my fault when it happened.

The cop pushed me to sign the ticket and plea guilty after he arrived. I refused to do at that time. Then he wrote "Refused to sign" on the signature blank. I read the ticket carefully and found I had 20 days to decide whether plea guilty. I'm wondering is it legal or proper for the cop to write "refused to sign" at that time point? I should have my right to think about it.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[racer72]

A signature is required only if the ticket requires a mandatory court appearance. Your refusal to sign changes nothing about the ticket. In some cases, it could have resulted in your arrest. The time to think about a ticket is when you talk to an attorney, not along side the road.

 

[kkth]

A signature is required only if the ticket requires a mandatory court appearance. Your refusal to sign changes nothing about the ticket. In some cases, it could have resulted in your arrest. The time to think about a ticket is when you talk to an attorney, not along side the road.

racer72, thanks for your quick reply.

There is only one place he asked me to sign. The place has a statement :
""my signature is a promise to pay this penalty assessment within twenty days. If i do not submit payment, my signature is a promise to appear at the date, time and place indicated herein."

Should I sign it anyway?

Thanks again

 

[I_Got_Banned]

There is only one place he asked me to sign. The place has a statement :
""my signature is a promise to pay this penalty assessment within twenty days. If i do not submit payment, my signature is a promise to appear at the date, time and place indicated herein."

Which part of that did you interpret to mean that you are entering a plea by signing?

 

[HighwayMan]

In your case the signature seems to be a promise to appear. I'm not sure why you weren't arrested once you failed to sign.

Maybe you didn't understand what the officer told you. How can you plead guilty at the side of the road? Does the officer collect the fine and put it in his pocket?

 

[FlyingRon]

Don't worry, even if you don't promise to appear, if you don't pay the ticket by the court date, they'll issue you a warrant to appear and probably suspend your license in the process.