ACR DEPARTS WITHOUT VALID RELEASE.

Narrative

121 OPERATION. RECEIVED DISPATCH RELEASE. FLT DELAYED BY MAINT. EVENTUALLY OFF THE GATE AT RELEASE EXPIRATION TIME (LEGAL). TAXIING OUT FLT ATTENDANT CALLS AND SAYS 'NO SMOKING' SIGN IS FLASHING. CAPT INSTANTLY DECIDES TO RETURN TO GATE. REFUSES TO LOOK AT MEL STATING WE MAY CONTINUE. ONCE ON THE GATE WITH ACFT SHUTDOWN; CAPT LOOKS AT MEL. EXTERNAL PWR HOOKED TO ACFT. FLT ATTENDANT IS READY TO DEPLANE PAX. BAGGAGE HANDLERS ARE REMOVING AFT BAGGAGE. I ADVISED FLT ATTENDANT TO HOLD PAX ON BOARD AND TO STOP BAGGAGE UNLOADING AND RELOAD IT. CAPT IS CONFERRING (OR BEING CONFERRED AT BY MAINT THROUGH COCKPIT WINDOW). MAINT CONVINCES CAPT TO CONTINUE. I REMIND CAPT THAT SINCE WE HAVE RETURNED TO THE GATE; THE RELEASE HAS EXPIRED AND WE NEED A NEW ONE. HE WILL NOT LISTEN; AS HE WOULDN'T LISTEN ON THE MEL ITEM. STRONGLY SUGGEST HE CALL DISPATCH TO GET NEW RELEASE; BEFORE LEAVING THE GATE. HE RELUCTANTLY AGREES; BUT DOES NOTHING. FURTHER PROMPTING ELICITS ONLY ENG START AND TAXI. I INSIST. HE CALLS OPS; (NOT DISPATCHER) AND ADVISES THEM WE ARE TAXIING; AND WILL NOT NEED A RELEASE. BY THE TIME I FIND THE PERTINENT SECTION IN THE OPS MANUAL; WE'RE #3 HOLDING SHORT FOR 36R. HE IS UNIMPRESSED. MY ONLY OPTION IS GET OFF THE PLANE; OR TKOF. WE TOOK OFF.