If someone fails to appear for court regarding a non-criminal traffic citation, what happens to the original offense?

When an individual fails to appear in court for a non-criminal traffic citation, the typical legal consequence is that they are pronounced guilty of the original offense. This means that the court takes the absence as an admission of guilt regarding the citation issued. In many jurisdictions, failing to respond to a traffic citation can result in the court automatically entering a guilty verdict. This automatic ruling can lead to a variety of penalties, such as fines or points being added to the individual's driving record, depending on the specific laws and regulations that apply.

The process of being declared guilty in such cases serves as a legal mechanism to ensure that individuals are held accountable for their actions, even in the absence of a court appearance.