Traffic ticket - mandatory court appearance (Atlanta: felony, attorney, home)

[newgen1]

Hi,
I live in Atlanta and I recently got a ticket for failuring to yield in the intersection and got collided with other vehicle. luckily no one was injured and I got the traffic ticket. I thought of paying it online. Today I called up the court and they said i need to make a court appearance. I have this in next 2 weeks.

Does any one know how it will be like? What should i expect on the day?

Since this is my first incident to appear to in court, I was bit scared.

Your advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

[Java378]

Make the appearance. The city is crazy and will put bad things on your record.

They won't hear your case though. Well, from my experience.

[noah]

Coming from another state I found this to be a new experience as well, back home you could just agree you did it and pay the ticket, not here. It is pretty simple, you have to go to court and tell the judge your guilty or not and then he will rule and access the ticket which you pay that day.

Originally Posted by newgen1

Hi,
I live in Atlanta and I recently got a ticket for failuring to yield in the intersection and got collided with other vehicle. luckily no one was injured and I got the traffic ticket. I thought of paying it online. Today I called up the court and they said i need to make a court appearance. I have this in next 2 weeks.

Does any one know how it will be like? What should i expect on the day?

Since this is my first incident to appear to in court, I was bit scared.

Your advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

[Shagbark Hickory]

I highly suggest you plead nolo contendere (No contest).
Meaning you are not admitting nor denying guilt but you will accept any punishment or fine the judge deems fit.

[cityrover]

Its a court appearance because under law, it was during the commission of a collision. It even says so on the ticket itself. Let me look at a ticket i have nearby. you must appear in court for:

1. homicide
2. felony
3. racing
4. eluding
5. hit and run
6. reckless driving
7. serious injury
8. injury/death through traffic device interferrence
9. drugs etc
10. no license in whatever form
11. dui and variants
12. fake id
13. aggressive driving
14. feticide

in no particular order. in addition, there are other provisions that dictate other offenses or stipulations which will mandate a court appearance. you can find these yourself im sure. fulton courts has them listed nicely

check point 8 above. you pretty much wrecked into somebody didnt you after failing to obey a traffc control device (yield sign).. correct?

nolo is a waste. either plead guilty or fight it properly.

[Shagbark Hickory]

Originally Posted by cityrover

nolo is a waste. either plead guilty or fight it properly.

Why do you say it's a waste? What if the other party doesn't show, no witnesses show, why have a record of a guilty plea if it's going to be dismissed.

[newgen1]

well, I didnt stop in the stop sign. Also, the Cop told other party need not have to come. I also see in pay ticket online site,that two parties to appear were the Cop and me. As i said earlier, there was no injury to either party and also the damage to the other vehicle was minimal (he had a ford excursion and the left side of his light was broken)

[cityrover]

Originally Posted by Shagbark Hickory

Why do you say it's a waste? What if the other party doesn't show, no witnesses show, why have a record of a guilty plea if it's going to be dismissed.

no it wont! dismissal is not automatic. they will show and if they dont, they will give you another court date. its a m y t h !

its the same as a guilty plea along with "i dont want to bother so i dont know why im even here"

[masonbarge]

Originally Posted by newgen1

Hi,
I live in Atlanta and I recently got a ticket for failuring to yield in the intersection and got collided with other vehicle. luckily no one was injured and I got the traffic ticket. I thought of paying it online. Today I called up the court and they said i need to make a court appearance. I have this in next 2 weeks.

Does any one know how it will be like? What should i expect on the day?

Since this is my first incident to appear to in court, I was bit scared.

Your advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

There is a lot of bad advice here. Don't worry, you're not in big trouble. They used to make everybody go to court. Now you can pay by mail if there was no accident.

It is very routine. You'll sit there in a crowded room until the judge calls your name. Plead guilty. They'll tell you where to pay the fine. Then go home.

If you try to plead not guilty (or, ridiculously, nolo) the judge will set your case down for trial! The judge won't accept a nolo plea, btw, you pretty much have to have an attorney to do that. And yes, I'm a lawyer.

[Shagbark Hickory]

Originally Posted by masonbarge

There is a lot of bad advice here. Don't worry, you're not in big trouble. They used to make everybody go to court. Now you can pay by mail if there was no accident.

It is very routine. You'll sit there in a crowded room until the judge calls your name. Plead guilty. They'll tell you where to pay the fine. Then go home.

If you try to plead not guilty (or, ridiculously, nolo) the judge will set your case down for trial! The judge won't accept a nolo plea, btw, you pretty much have to have an attorney to do that. And yes, I'm a lawyer.

OK I didn't know if they would do that here. I am used to florida traffic courts. Sorry.