The court can ask what it will, and there is no law that would permit a defendant to lawfully refuse to answer with impunity. As I said, whether this is a practice engaged in by the Sacramento Courts, I can't say. Only time will tell whether Sacramento's practice on TBWD's are legal or not. Depending on how one reads the construction of the statute, it is possible that they might be able to create a rule that limits TBWD. Who knows? I guess we shall see if and when someone challenges this.