Can I refuse to be fingerprinted?
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Can I refuse to be fingerprinted?
I was stopped in traffic for running a red light, I have a fake name because I don’t have a license and I was scared. Long story short, I ended up giving him my real name and he told me he would send a ticket in the mail. When the mail finally arrives there is no ticket, it’s a court order to come back and get finger printed and
the dead line is on the 18th of next month but my court date is on the 31st. Is there any way that I can avoid being fingerprinted? I don’t have a back ground and have never been in trouble before. My overall argument is if the state trooper was going to charge me with something why did he let me go free at the time of the traffic stop.
Asked on December 28, 2018 under Criminal Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
No, if there is a court order for fingerprinting, you cannot refuse: if you do, you can be arrested and jailed for violating a court order (and you'd be fingerprinted anyway, when they take you in for processing at fail). Your argument will not work: there is NO legal requirement that you be taken in at the time of the stop: that you were let free then is not a valid defense or grounds to refuse a court order.
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