What Happens If You Miss Traffic Court in Georgia?

If you’ve been pulled over recently in the Peach State you may be wondering ‘What happens if you miss traffic court in Georgia?’

The answer is that your license will get suspended and/or you will have a bench warrant issued for your arrest.

You must contact the court immediately to reschedule your hearing and avoid further consequences. You will also likely have to pay a FTA (failure to appear) fee first to the court in order to get the new court date on the calendar.

Let’s take a closer look at what happens when you miss your traffic court date in Georgia.

What to Do If I Missed My Court Date for a Traffic Ticket

If you missed your court date, the first thing to do is call the court clerk and explain why you missed the hearing. 

You may be able to reschedule the hearing if you have a legitimate reason for missing it, like a medical emergency or car trouble. 

The court will likely require documentation.

Most of the time, even if you are allowed to reset it by calling and paying the fee, you must show up to your subsequent court date in order to have the license suspension removed or the bench warrant lifted.

Can You Reschedule a Court Date If You Miss It?

In most cases, yes, you can reschedule a missed court date if it’s your first offense. 

The court may charge a failure to appear fee. 

Explain why you missed the hearing and provide any evidence. 

Multiple missed court dates will result in a license suspension, arrest warrant, and other penalties.

How Do I Know If I Have a Mandatory Court Appearance?

If your ticket says “Mandatory Appearance” or “Must Appear,” you are required to show up to court on the date listed. 

Failure to appear will result in additional charges. 

Call the court immediately if you cannot make the scheduled hearing date.

You may also seek to retain a lawyer to help you with any failure to appear on mandatory court appearance cases.

How Long Do You Go to Jail for Failure to Appear in Georgia?

The jail sentence for failure to appear depends on if you have a bench warrant or not. 

The court can issue a bench warrant (but does not always do so) and, if you’re picked up on it, then you will be held in jail until you resolve your underlying traffic court case.

Sometimes, you can bond out on a FTA warrant, but not always. If you are granted a bond and you bond out, then your time in jail is only as long as it takes you to bond out.

How Much Is a Bond for Failure to Appear in Georgia?

Bond amounts vary case by case, but expect to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for a failure to appear bond in Georgia. 

Factors like the severity of the original charge, history of missed court dates, and risk of flight determine the bond amount. 

Hiring a criminal defense lawyer can help reduce the bond amount.\

The Bottom Line

If you miss your traffic court date, it is imperative to contact the court right away to find out if you have a license suspension or even a bench warrant.

You’ll need to take care of it as soon as possible so that you do not get arrest – either on the bench warrant, or due to driving on a suspended license, which is an arrestable offense in Georgia.

Contact a local traffic attorney near you to get more information for your specific case.