California has trial by written declaration. If cited you don't need to appear in court at first, you send a letter to the court explaining your case. You pay the ticket price as bail. If you are still found responsible you still get a day in court at which the officer needs to appear. If the judge lets you off for the letter or in traffic court you get your money back.
This used to be a way to get out of a speeding ticket, back in my former life of motorcycles and turbo Subarus. The officer had to write a letter and sometimes wouldn't, and on appeal he'd have to trade shifts to make it, so he wouldn't show. I've heard they have been since then scheduled to show up and get paid for it.
https://www.courts.ca.gov/34713.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en