didnt sign ticket

[the_wanted_one]

What is the name of your state?indiana

i got a speeding ticket and a driving while suspended charge.i was being arrested for something else but got let go and the trooper just handed me the tickets with forgetting to make me sign them? do i still have to pay ? or does it matter.how do they no i got the tickets or that he even pulled me over. id rather not pay since i didnt show up to court for the dwls.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Do you still have to pay them. Well, of course not. You can ignore them and when the police arrest you for failure to appear you can explain to the judge that since the office didn't sign the ticket it wasn't valid.

 

[poppakeith]

Do you still have to pay them. Well, of course not. You can ignore them and when the police arrest you for failure to appear you can explain to the judge that since the office didn't sign the ticket it wasn't valid.

At that point in the game, wouldn't it be better to say "I didn't get no ticket. If I got a ticket, youse guys could show where I signed for it, or some other record showing that I received bona fide notice to appear. I wanna see my lawyer."?

 

[Curt581]

Oh, No!

The infamous "Neener-Neener Defense".

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Oh, No!

The infamous "Neener-Neener Defense".

Commonly refered to on this forum as the "Hillbilly Dufus defense".

 

[the_wanted_one]

ill do anything to get out of a ticket. ive paid enough of them in my life,some deserved and some not! "hillbilly dufus defense"hell, sign me up if it works. yeehaw!!!
i dont even live in this state and never got anything saying to appear in court besides the ticket that i can say "i never got" since i never signed it. i never got any notice at my current address listed on my license in florida.

isnt that why you sign the ticket to show that you received it ?? if not,what stops a cop from writing a ticket when ever he gets an urge too ?? he or she could just drive down a parking lot writing speeding tickets while someone is inside a store shopping.

 

[Pugilist]

I think the question by "the wanted one" is a good one. He was never asked to sign a promise to appear. I for one would like to know the answer, so I hope that the rest of you guys will hold your adolescent taunts for a while so that someone can come in here and answer the original question.

Pug

 

[CdwJava]

On a reading of some information regarding Indiana traffic citations, it seems that the OFFICER is required to sign the ticket, but it appears that the defendant does not.

Here is one case that describes the follow-up work that had to be done and it mentions the signature of the officer and that the officer had to swear to the validity of the ticket in the presence of the clerk of the court ... no mention of the defendant's signature being present or required.

http://www.state.in.us/judiciary/opinions/previous/wpd/122319.rhs.wpd

On this site (from Zionsville PD) a FAQ includes this paragraph intimating that signatures are only required for misdemeanors:

"If you are issued a traffic ticket and you feel the reason is unclear, politely ask the officer for details. If the officer asks you to sign a ticket, do so. Your signature on the citation is not an admission of guilt, but is your promise to contact the court on or before your court date. If your signature is required for the cited offense, you are being charged with a misdemeanor traffic violation and your signature is your bail. Should you refuse to sign the ticket, you will be placed in custody and taken to jail. "

The site is located at:

http://www.zionsvillepd.com/faq.htm

There were other sites of a similar nature. But, it seems that not all citations require a signature.

- Carl

 

[poppakeith]

isnt that why you sign the ticket to show that you received it ?? if not,what stops a cop from writing a ticket when ever he gets an urge too ?? he or she could just drive down a parking lot writing speeding tickets while someone is inside a store shopping.

Philosophy behind a defendant signing citations is that a signature constitutes a promise, on your honor, to respond as required on the ticket. If you are asked to sign, and refuse, that is taken to mean you will not voluntarily bond yourself (your word is your bond sort of thing). The cop then can extract a different kind of bond, if he so chooses, by taking you into the station and having a judge extract cash bond, impounding your car, or attaching your driver's license. None of this means that the absence of your signature or other bond lets you off the hook. The fact the cop physically hands the notice (the citation) to you, knowing you to be the named defendant, and that he will attest to legal service (just like with a process server), all this means you are hooked and must attend, legally.

A crooked cop can issue false citations. It does happen. You'll have a hard time convincing anybody it happened in the case you have described.