Section 40504 Of Article 2. Release Upon Promise To Appear From California Vehicle Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 2.
40504
. (a) The officer shall deliver one copy of the notice to
appear to the arrested person and the arrested person in order to
secure release must give his or her written promise to appear in
court or before a person authorized to receive a deposit of bail by
signing two copies of the notice which shall be retained by the
officer, and the officer may require the arrested person, if this
person has no satisfactory identification, to place a right
thumbprint, or a left thumbprint or fingerprint if the person has a
missing or disfigured right thumb, on the notice to appear.
Thereupon, the arresting officer shall forthwith release the person
arrested from custody. Except for law enforcement purposes relating
to the identity of the arrestee, no person or entity may sell, give
away, allow the distribution of, include in a database, or create a
database with, this print.
(b) Any person who signs a written promise to appear with a false
or fictitious name is guilty of a misdemeanor regardless of the
disposition of the charge upon which he or she was originally
arrested.
(c) (1) A person contesting a charge by claiming under penalty of
perjury not to be the person issued the notice to appear may choose
to submit a right thumbprint, or a left thumbprint if the person has
a missing or disfigured right thumb, to the issuing court through his
or her local law enforcement agency for comparison with the one
placed on the notice to appear. A local law enforcement agency
providing this service may charge the requester no more than the
actual costs. The issuing court may refer the thumbprint submitted
and the notice to appear to the prosecuting attorney for comparison
of the thumbprints. When there is no thumbprint or fingerprint on the
notice to appear, or when the comparison of thumbprints is
inconclusive, the court shall refer the notice to appear or copy
thereof back to the issuing agency for further investigation, unless
the court finds that referral is not in the interest of justice.
(2) Upon initiation of the investigation or comparison process by
referral of the court, the court shall continue the case and the
speedy trial period shall be tolled for 45 days.
(3) Upon receipt of the issuing agency's or prosecuting attorney's
response, the court may make a finding of factual innocence pursuant
to Section 530.6 of the Penal Code if the court determines that
there is insufficient evidence that the person cited is the person
charged and shall immediately notify the Department of Motor Vehicles
of its determination. If the Department of Motor Vehicles determines
the citation or citations in question formed the basis of a
suspension or revocation of the person's driving privilege, the
department shall immediately set aside the action.
(4) If the prosecuting attorney or issuing agency fails to respond
to a court referral within 45 days, the court shall make a finding
of factual innocence pursuant to Section 530.6 of the Penal Code,
unless the court finds that a finding of factual innocence is not in
the interest of justice.
(5) The citation or notice to appear may be held by the
prosecuting attorney or issuing agency for future adjudication should
the arrestee who received the citation or notice to appear be found.