By Erin Gerstenzang

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We are experts at removing FTA warrants in Atlanta Municipal Court

If you missed your court date for either a criminal or traffic citation, you are in failure to appear status. Once this happens, you need to clear up any bench warrant or FTA license suspension the court may have issued. Typically, you are required to schedule an appearance in front of a judge at a Failure to Appear (FTA) hearing.

Scheduling an FTA Hearing

The court does not automatically schedule an FTA hearing, so this is something that you will have to do on your own. Spaces on the calendar are available on a limited basis. You should contact the court at 404-658-6940 for more information and to make sure you can set up your FTA hearing.

2022-23 FTA Policies in Atlanta

Currently, Atlanta Municipal Court is not running a daily FTA calendar. Rather you will need to file paperwork with the court in order to be assigned a new court date. This is their new policy as of February 2022 and it has created a great deal of hardship for drivers, leaving them with months of a suspended license while waiting for a new court date. You can check the status of your case at the Court’s online portal.

What to Expect

Drivers call us every day with stories about waiting endless months for a new court date to clear up their FTA status in Atlanta.

Once drivers get to court, outcomes can vary, and rarely do they match what the driver expects.

For instance, many drivers believe that the court will treat them with more leniency if they have a clean driving history. However, the prosecutor is already aware of your record. So do not waste your time discussing your driving history – or even worse, trying to explain the circumstances of previous tickets. Additionally, while some prosecutors are inclined to rely on a clean driving record to mitigate some consequences, it usually does not completely absolve you from the charge.

It is also wise to research the underlying charge before going to the hearing. Prosecutors typically expect you to be prepared to quickly evaluate their offer and make a final decision about the case at the FTA calendar. Ordinarily, they are not inclined to discuss your reservations regarding the lawfulness or fairness of your original citation in great detail.

Help clearing a failure to appear

Lastly, you should know that if you appear in court the Traffic Violation Bureau (TVB) fine may not apply. However, the judge may order a fee amount that may be more or less than the TVB fine paid before you went to court. The judge also may require you to pay your FTA penalty prior to your court appearance. As a result, you may need to make sure you have adequate funds available before scheduling your FTA hearing.

How We Help

We are obsessed with getting FTA cases cleared up as quickly and painlessly as possible for our clients, and we spend a great deal of time in the Atlanta courts doing just that!

We jump into immediate action to get our client’s case in front of a prosecutor and judge as quickly as possible, without them ever having to come to court with us!

If you still have questions or want to speak with an attorney experienced with the Atlanta criminal and traffic courts, schedule a consultation with EHG Law Firm.