Failure to Appear in Court for a Georgia DUI or Other Traffic Violation

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I receive inquiries quite regularly from people who have missed their court date for a DUI in Georgia or for a different traffic violation that they have been cited for in our state. In today's pose, I will outline which traffic offenses require a court appearance in Georgia.

If you have received a traffic ticket or been arrested for a traffic violation, or charged with a criminal offense, you will be given a date to appear in court. If you do not show up for the hearing or forget to pay the ticket, there can be severe consequences. 

Georgia Traffic Citations that Require a Court Appearance

The traffic offenses that require court appearances in Georgia include but are not limited to:

• Georgia Reckless Driving
• Georgia DUI
• Georgia Possession of Marijuana
• Georgia Aggressive Driving
• Georgia Driving with a Suspended License
• Georgia Racing
• Georgia Fleeing or Attempting to Elude an Officer
• Georgia Hit and Run
• Georgia Vehicular Homicide
• Georgia Unlawful Passing of a School Bus

Traffic tickets that have been cited to drivers under the age of 21 also require court appearance. The reason young drivers must appear in court is that almost all traffic tickets have the potential to suspend their driver's license. 

Additionally, many courts will not allow a young driver to pay their citation because it can affect the insurance rates of an entire family. As a result, many courts have a policy of requiring a parent to attend court, unless the young driver can show that he or she is not covered by their parent's automobile insurance. 

Practice Note

A failure to appear in Georgia is a serious offense. Once you fail to appear, you lose the option to pay the fine for your citation. If the judge has issued a bench warrant, you must appear before the judge before you can pay. The judge may also impose a fine for not appearing. If you can show an acceptable reason for why you missed court, the judge may waive the penalties. 

If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI or another traffic violation in Georgia, contact a Georgia DUI Attorney today.