Section 26-203 - Signature of person charged required on citation. - Maryland Statutes

§ 26-203. Signature of person charged required on citation.
 

(a)  Scope of section.- This section applies to all traffic citations issued under this subtitle, unless: 

(1) The person otherwise is being arrested under § 26-202(a)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this subtitle; 

(2) The person is incapacitated or otherwise unable to comply with the provisions of this section; 

(3) The citation is being issued to an unattended vehicle in violation of § 21-1003 of this article; or 

(4) The citation is being issued to an unattended motor vehicle in violation of § 13-402 of this article. 

(b)  Officer to make request and advise of the possibility of arrest.- On issuing a traffic citation, the police officer: 

(1) Shall ask the person to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the citation, as required under § 1-605 of the Courts Article; and 

(2) If the person refuses to do so, shall advise the person that failure to acknowledge receipt may lead to the person's arrest. 

(c)  Refusal prohibited.-  

(1) On being advised that failure to acknowledge receipt of a copy of a citation may lead to arrest, the person may not refuse to acknowledge receipt. 

(2) If the person continues to refuse to do so, the police officer may arrest the person for violation of this section or, as provided in § 26-202(a)(5) of this subtitle, for the original charge, or both. 
 

[1977, ch. 186, § 2; 1979, ch. 318; 1988, ch. 660; 2007, ch. 605.]