Well, about 1 month ago I got stopped for running a red light. I made a right on red without coming to a complete stop. 160 dollar ticket, thanks for playing. I initially thought I had got stopped for failing to notice the "No right on Red" sign they had put up over night  for our state Fair. Well, I had an attorney to try and get the fine reduced. We had a court date today and the officer didnt show up. Case dismissed.

Now I was wondering if an officer gets in trouble for not showing up or if its no big deal if he doesnt show up?

most likely he doesn't get in trouble.

He's probably working overtime.

Ok, I was curious. I didnt know if that was a mandatory thing or not. Guess I'm lucky he didnt show. Now I have an extra 160 bucks for beer and ammo!

I know if I don't show up for a court date that I received a notification for, I would recieve some sort of disciplanry action, that could range for a warn and admonishment to some of my vacation time taken away from me.

Quoted: Not unless, you have something that is "more important" than going to court like collaring up, or are responding to a major job which causes you to miss your appointment. The ICO will understand when it comes to that.

Well I figured that.  I was thinking more of "Oops, was that today?" kinda thing.

You'll get yelled at,  probably have a written reprimand,and lose 2 hours overtime.  (the minimum for court while off duty).

I don't see why guys miss them,  it's soeasy to reset.

That's going to depend on the agency.  My dept gives us at least a day unpaid suspension for first offense.

Failure to show for a summons means that the judge could have a deputy go and snatch your assets up. (I read where the judge actually did this to an officer.)
My local judge usually does this to people who dont show for jury duty when summoned. You get another paper from the judge and the fine is about 100.00.
Of course, here the CAs secretary would call the house and ask where the heck I am. Its nice to live 2 blocks from the courthouse. GRIN

My dept 1 offence wrighten rep 2nd a day off 3rd five days off 4th 10 days off 5th 12 up untill good old # 8. You miss court 8 times you are looking for another job. O ya if you miss court once and then do not miss again durring a five year period you start at 0 again

Not sure how it works elsewhere, but here, in addition to the reprimand, your credibility in the eyes of the Court also takes a BIG hit. As any Police Officer can tell you, your credibility is EVERYTHING! If you're sick or on another detail and can't make it and actually CALL THE COURT and tell them, that's another matter. The ticket still gets tossed but they "look the other way" about the credibility.

Bub

Around here, it seems that cops only show up for traffic court if it's a slow day on the streets.

I've taken two tickets to court and the cops were no shows both times.

Unfortunately, I now have to do it again, but even if the cop does show,  I should win because he didn't write me a ticket for what I did, he wrote me a ticket for something I DIDN'T do.  DELIBERATELY, because I was a very nice and very cooperative individual and he gave me a lesser ticket for a lesser driving infraction.  One that isn't actually possible to perform at the location of the stop.

I appreciate the cop's trying to go easy on me, but I'll take it to court and I'll win even if he DOES show up.   Thanks for trying to be nice, officer,  but I've got to fight my own battles and I'll do exactly that.

CJ

So, were you guilty of the infraction that he initially pulled you over for?
Just curious.

Oh, yeah.   It was truly an error on my part.  I hadn't gone that way in several years and completely missed the change in speed limits.  I 'fessed up and didn't try to weasel out of it, so the cop gave me one for failure to obey a traffic control device, and it's easy to prove that there is no traffic control device in the area listed on the ticket.

I'm guilty of what I DIDN'T get a ticket for, and NOT guilty of what I DID get one for.

And the way things work,  I can even freely admit to the judge what I did, and since no citation was issued for it, I can't be fined or made to pay for THAT in any way.  They can't issue retroactive tickets.  Not that I'm likely to do that.  No sense in twisting the dragon's tail.

I only have to (A) hope the cop doesn't show or (B) show that the ticket as written is fiction. And I've taken a stack of photos of that stretch of the road already.

CJ

Quoted: They can't issue retroactive tickets.

You sure? In AL we can. I've gone back and written citations on accidents for No Insurance after the fact, once I discovered a driver did not have insurance several months after the accident. It's just like a misdemeanor, I have up to one year to go back and issue a citation. So basically you're going to go and tell the Judge "No, I didn't do what the citation charges...what I did was much worse." Good plan.

Quoted: ...so the cop gave me one for failure to obey a traffic control device, and it's easy to prove that there is no traffic control device in the area listed on the ticket.

You realize that a "traffic control device" can include a speed limit sign, right?