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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="26-201" title_number="26" title_name="Vehicle Laws -- Parties and Procedure on Citation, Arrest, Trial, and Appeal" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Citation and Arrest">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A police officer may charge a person with a violation of any of the following, if the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed or is committing the violation:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Maryland Vehicle Law, including any regulation adopted under any of its provisions;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A traffic law or ordinance of any local authority;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Title 9, Subtitle 2 of the Tax – General Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Title 9, Subtitle 3 of the Tax – General Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Title 10, Subtitle 4 of the Business Regulation Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>§ 10–323 of the Business Regulation Article; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>§ 10–323.2 of the Business Regulation Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A police officer who charges a person under this section shall issue a traffic citation, and provide a copy, to the person charged.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A traffic citation issued to a person under this section shall contain:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A notice in boldface type that, if the citation is a payable violation:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The person must comply with one of the following within 30 days after receipt of the citation:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>Pay the full amount of the preset fine;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>Enter into a payment plan under § 7–504.1 of the Courts Article, if the defendant has at least $150 in total outstanding fines and is otherwise qualified to enter into a payment plan;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>Request a hearing regarding sentencing and disposition in lieu of a trial as provided in § 26–204(b)(2) of this subtitle; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="D">
          <text>Request a trial date at the date, time, and place established by the District Court by writ or trial notice; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <level label="A">
            <text>If the person fails to comply within 30 days after receipt of the citation, the Administration will be notified and may take action to suspend the person’s driver’s license; and</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense for which the person could be incarcerated; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the citation is for a must–appear violation, a notice that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The citation is a summons to appear as notified by a circuit court or the District Court through a trial notice setting the date, time, and place for the person to appear; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>A circuit court or the District Court will issue a writ setting the date, time, and place for the person to appear;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The name and address of the person;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The number of the person’s license to drive, if applicable;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The State registration number of the vehicle, if applicable;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The violation or violations charged;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>An acknowledgment of receipt of the citation, to be executed by the person as required under § 1–605 of the Courts Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Near the acknowledgment, a clear and conspicuous statement that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Acknowledgment of the citation by the person does not constitute an admission of guilt; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The failure to acknowledge receipt of the citation may subject the person to arrest; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Any other necessary information.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If a citation is marked “you have the right to stand trial”:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The form of the defendant’s copy of the citation shall include in boldface type a description of the following options:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Payment of the fine;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Enter into a payment plan under § 7–504.1 of the Courts Article, if the defendant has at least $150 in total outstanding fines and is otherwise qualified to enter into a payment plan;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Request a trial; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Request a “guilty with an explanation” hearing regarding sentencing and disposition in lieu of a trial; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The form of the “return to court” copy of the citation shall include in boldface type a check–off box for each of the options described in item (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A police officer who discovers a vehicle stopped, standing, or parked in violation of § 21–1003 or § 21–1010 of this article shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Deliver a copy of a citation to the driver or, if the vehicle is unattended, attach a copy of a citation to the vehicle in a conspicuous place; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Keep a written or electronic copy of the citation, bearing the police officer’s certification under penalty of perjury that the facts stated in the citation are true.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A police officer who discovers a motor vehicle parked in violation of § 13–402 of this article shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Deliver a copy of a citation to the driver or, if the motor vehicle is unattended, attach a copy of a citation to the motor vehicle in a conspicuous place; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Keep a written or electronic copy of the citation, bearing the law enforcement officer’s certification under penalty of perjury that the facts stated in the citation are true.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In the absence of the driver, the owner of the motor vehicle is presumed to be the person receiving the copy of a citation or warning.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
