2021 Wyoming Statutes
Title 31 - Motor Vehicles
Chapter 5 - Regulation of Traffic on Highways
Article 12 - Offenses, Penalties and Enforcement
Section 31-5-1205 - Traffic Citations; Notice to Appear in Court; Release Upon Written Promise to Appear; Procedure Before Judge or Court; Arrest for Driving Under the Influence.

31-5-1205. Traffic citations; notice to appear in court; release upon written promise to appear; procedure before judge or court; arrest for driving under the influence.

(a) Whenever a person is halted by a police officer for any violation of this act punishable as a misdemeanor, and is not taken before a judge as required or permitted, the officer shall prepare a written traffic citation containing a notice to appear in court.

(b) The time specified in the notice to appear must be at least five (5) days after the alleged violation unless the person charged with the violation demands an earlier hearing.

(c) The place specified in the notice to appear must be before a judge as designated in subsection (g) of this section.

(d) The person charged with the violation may give his promise to appear in court by accepting at least one (1) copy of the written traffic citation prepared by the officer, in which event the officer shall deliver a copy of the citation to the person, and thereupon, the officer shall not take the person into physical custody for the violation.

(e) Any officer violating any of the provisions of this section is guilty of misconduct in office and is subject to removal from office.

(f) Except for felonies and those offenses enumerated in W.S. 31-5-1204(a)(i), (ii) and (iii), a police officer at the scene of a traffic accident may issue a written traffic citation, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, to any driver of a vehicle involved in the accident when, based upon personal investigation, the officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the person has committed any offense under the provisions of this act in connection with the accident.

(g) Whenever any person is taken before a judge or is given a written traffic citation containing a notice to appear before a judge, the judge shall be a judge within the county in which the offense charged is alleged to have been committed and who has jurisdiction of the offense and is nearest or most accessible with reference to the place where the alleged violation occurred. For the purpose of this section, the terms "judge" and "court" includes judges and courts having jurisdiction of offenses under this act as committing judges and courts and those having jurisdiction of the trials of the offenses.

(h) Whenever any person is taken into custody by a police officer for the purpose of taking him before a judge or court as authorized or required in this act upon any charge other than a felony or the offenses enumerated in W.S. 31-5-1204(a)(i), (ii) and (iii), and no judge is available at the time of arrest, and there is no bail schedule established by the judge or court and no lawfully designated court clerk or other public officer who is available and authorized to accept bail upon behalf of the judge or court, the person shall be released from custody upon the issuance to him of a written traffic citation and his acceptance of the citation signifying his promise to appear as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(j) The procedure prescribed by this section is not exclusive to this act, but is applicable in all proceedings arising out of an alleged violation of a statute, ordinance or regulation relating to operation or use of any vehicle or to use of the highways.

(k) If a person is arrested, cited or issued a summons for violation of W.S. 31-5-233 or a municipal ordinance which substantially conforms to the provisions of W.S. 31-5-233 or for a violation as defined in W.S. 31-5-234(d), he shall surrender possession of his physical driver's license, if applicable, whether issued in Wyoming or another jurisdiction, to the arresting or issuing officer. In addition to other requirements of this section and W.S. 31-5-1204, the officer shall issue a temporary license pursuant to W.S. 31-6-102, 31-6-108 or 31-7-138 to the person arrested or cited and shall forward the surrendered license to the department.