text: if washington state law provides an affirmative defense for a crime(late) can local rules disreguard? affirmative defense:"uncontrolable circumstances prevented the person from appearing and that the person did not contribute to such circumstances in recless disreguard of the law,and did appear as soon as such circumstances ceased to exist".pierce county local court rules limit this two three reasons1.person was incarcerated.2.emergency medical ,this must be actual 911 or emergency room documation,it must be timed and dated at your exact court time not one hour before or after,no other medical conditions are acceptable.except #3if you can prove by actual police report you were in the act of being sexualy assalted (again not an hour before or after,but at that exact time)then you may use the affermative defence.if you have any other reason, however legitmate it may be,the defence is not permitted to use it or allow the jury to hear it,if in testimony you do bring it up.you will be charged with contempt of court,atty. will also be looking at a suspension.is this legal?constitutional? ask a lawyer licensed to practice in washington state.  and never trust anything you hear in a forum like this to be true when it might have significant consequences for you.