What are my options after receiving an Atlanta traffic ticket?
If you are one of the tens of thousands who are pulled over each year by Atlanta Police and the Georgia State Patrol for traffic violations within the City of Atlanta, this blog will help you understand your options. An Atlanta traffic citation is a misdemeanor offense under Georgia law, meaning that each violation is punishable by a fine of up to $1000 and potential incarceration for a period of up to 12 months. Those maximum punishments are usually reserved for the most serious repeat offenders. Most traffic violations are usually resolved with a small fine and in some cases a driver improvement course. While a traffic citation is a misdemeanor offense, a conviction for an Atlanta traffic ticket will not go on your criminal history unless your were arrested at the time the ticket was issued. Your Georgia criminal history is tracked by your fingerprints, and if you were not fingerprinted for the offense, it will not create a cycle on your criminal history. There are a few Atlanta traffic offenses including but not limited to Suspended license, No Insurance, and DUI that are fingerprintable offenses. If you were not arrested on these offenses when they occurred, it is possible they will make you get fingerprinted later. Some City of Atlanta Municipal Court traffic tickets can be paid online or in person before court, others require appearance in court. The City of Atlanta has an online docketing system located here which will give you more information about your specific court date. It can be searched by name, citation number, drivers license number, or tag number. If you cannot find your name in their system, try one of the other search options as there are occasional typographical issues.
There are many ways to resolve an Atlanta traffic ticket. Before you make your decision it is best to know all your options. Unless you pay your ticket in advance, I would always advise you speak with the Atlanta solicitor assigned to your courtroom on the day of court before resolving your case. They may be offer you a resolution that includes lower fines, less points, decreased charges. If you are not happy with the solicitor’s recommendation, you do not have to accept it.
You always have the right to a trial in your case. Most, but not all Atlanta traffic citations have the right to a jury trial. If you would like a trial, you must plead not guilty at court and ask for either a bench (Judge) or jury trial. If you would like a trial you will be held to the same standards as a licensed Atlanta traffic ticket attorney so it may be in your best to consult with a lawyer before taking your Atlanta traffic ticket to trial.
You can resolve your case through a plea. If you do this before your court date, by either paying in person at the City of Atlanta Municipal Court located at 150 Garnett Street, Atlanta Georgia 30303 or paying online, you will have pled guilty to the charge as written on your citation.
You can appear in court and discuss your case with an Atlanta prosecutor. They can make a recommendation in your case and you can either accept or reject their recommendation. If you accept their recommendation you have the option to plead guilty or nolo contendere (No Contest). A no contest plea may avoid points on your drivers license for moving violations or prevent a license suspension for certain charges like driving while license suspended or no insurance. If you are not happy with their recommendation you have the right to a trial.
The solicitor may also ask you to provide documents such as a renewed tag, a valid drivers license, a receipt for a mount for a wireless device, or an insurance letter that may help you get your charges dismissed or reduced. Your case will most likely be reset to a new day to gather those documents, but they may have a big benefit in helping you resolve your case.
You may be eligible for the Atlanta Pre-Trial Intervention Traffic (PTIT) Program. If you participate in the PTIT program and successfully complete it, your charge(s) will be dismissed and nothing will go on your driving history or be reported to insurance.
You have many options in resolving a City of Atlanta traffic ticket. This blog post briefly discusses them. The best way to understand your rights after receiving an Atlanta traffic citation is to reach out to an Atlanta traffic ticket attorney to discuss your options. I offer free consultations where we will talk about your ticket and all of your options. After, you can decide if you would like representation to help you with your ticket. If you would like to talk about your case, call today at 678-753-6431.
