Life can get crazy, and with so much going on, certain things may slip your mind. For example, you might forget about a traffic ticket that you received or simply choose not to respond to it. Is this a big deal? What can happen if you don’t respond to a traffic citation? You can find out on this page.

Failure to Respond

We get it, you were busy, you put the citation to the side, and next thing you know you received a letter from the DMV saying your license was suspended. Now you are not sure what to do, but you want to get this whole “mistake” fixed. Let’s walk through the process.

Ordinarily when you receive a traffic citation, the citation can either be paid online or by mail within the timeframe indicated on the ticket. If you had chosen to do this, then no points are assessed by the Department of Motor Vehicles(DMV), but it still goes on your record as having had the violation.

If you respond “not guilty,” the ticket is transferred to the Geographical Court House (GA) where the infraction occurred. Once you plead not guilty, it usually takes about 3-4 months before you get your court date. This date is considered a “disposition date.” On that date, you (or your attorney, if you have one) would meet with the state attorney and see if you can agree to a settlement. If no settlement can be reached then you would get another date at that time for a trial in front of a magistrate.

If you plead not guilty and then forget to appear at court, the violation is automatically recorded as guilty by default and you owe the entire fine and are assessed any points associated with the violation.

Failure to pay this or a fine imposed by the court would result in a suspension, even if it was just a misunderstanding or a mistake.

Getting Help

Having your license suspended or even just getting lot of points because of an inadvertent error can be frightful. It is best to avoid this situation altogether by paying the fine or following through with your not guilty plea. It is easiest to do this with the help of a lawyer, who will remind you of any related paperwork, court dates, or deadlines. If you have gotten a notice that your license is suspended, you can contact a lawyer to see if anything can be done. While each situation is different, a lawyer can explain your situation to you and help you determine your options. If you would like to discuss a traffic infraction, contact us for a consultation. Let us take care of this issue on your behalf.