Atlanta Ticket/Helpful Prosecutor

[jacobswain]

undefinedWhat is the name of your state? Atlanta, Georgia

Ok, here is my situation. I am 19 years old and received a speeding ticket in Atlanta, Georgia one week ago. The ticket was for going 81 in a 55. I came home and realized just how serious a violation like that is under Georgia law. In Georgia, if you are under 21 and receive a serious speeding ticket you are required to appear in court before a judge and also lose your driving privileges for six months. I do not hold a Georgia license, but the severity of the ticket and the idea of having suspended driving priveleges show up on my ticket doesn't appeal to me.

So, I went to my local prosecutors office here in Southern Illinois. They know me well, and they spoke on a conference call with the Solicitor (prosecutor) for the Atlanta City Court. He was very nice and, in light of my clean driving record, agreed to lower the speed to a 14 mph violation. All I have to do, he said, was to pay the fine (around $200) and fill out the "Plea in Absentia" that they are mailing to me.

However, yesterday I called the number on my citation from the officer out of curiousity (to see what the fine would've been had the Atlanta Solicitor not intervened.) It was an automated system, but once I inputted the number it transferred me through to a lady who was very rude and told me that I would have to appear before a judge because of the severity of the ticket and my age. When I explained to her what actions I had taken through the Solicitors office, she told me she did not care. Very, very rude.

I am a little worried now that something is going to end up going wrong with the agreement that I reached. As long as the Atlanta Solicitor has said he would lower the charges, I am ok, aren't I? Should I be taking any additional action (i.e. hiring a lawyer) or just wait on the Plea in Absentia to arrive and fill it out and be done with it? I guess I just want to make sure I have my ducks in a row.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Jacob

[Happy Trails]

Originally Posted by jacobswain

undefinedWhat is the name of your state? Atlanta, Georgia

Ok, here is my situation. I am 19 years old and received a speeding ticket in Atlanta, Georgia one week ago. The ticket was for going 81 in a 55. I came home and realized just how serious a violation like that is under Georgia law. In Georgia, if you are under 21 and receive a serious speeding ticket you are required to appear in court before a judge and also lose your driving privileges for six months. I do not hold a Georgia license, but the severity of the ticket and the idea of having suspended driving priveleges show up on my ticket doesn't appeal to me.

So, I went to my local prosecutors office here in Southern Illinois. They know me well, and they spoke on a conference call with the Solicitor (prosecutor) for the Atlanta City Court. He was very nice and, in light of my clean driving record, agreed to lower the speed to a 14 mph violation. All I have to do, he said, was to pay the fine (around $200) and fill out the "Plea in Absentia" that they are mailing to me.

However, yesterday I called the number on my citation from the officer out of curiousity (to see what the fine would've been had the Atlanta Solicitor not intervened.) It was an automated system, but once I inputted the number it transferred me through to a lady who was very rude and told me that I would have to appear before a judge because of the severity of the ticket and my age. When I explained to her what actions I had taken through the Solicitors office, she told me she did not care. Very, very rude.

I am a little worried now that something is going to end up going wrong with the agreement that I reached. As long as the Atlanta Solicitor has said he would lower the charges, I am ok, aren't I? Should I be taking any additional action (i.e. hiring a lawyer) or just wait on the Plea in Absentia to arrive and fill it out and be done with it? I guess I just want to make sure I have my ducks in a row.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Jacob

What I would do is make another trip down to the local prosecutor's office and ask them.

It could be that the person that you called had no idea of the "deal" you were offered.

So go check it out on Monday.

[jacobswain]

Ok...maybe I should rephrase my question, or at least make it more clear what I am wanting to know. Is the plan that I outlined above typical? Can I be completely sure that going through the Solicitor (prosecutor) in this way and paying the fine that is stated in the Plea in Absencia that they send will clear everything up?

Thanks for any input.
Jacob

[Happy Trails]

Originally Posted by jacobswain

Ok...maybe I should rephrase my question, or at least make it more clear what I am wanting to know. Is the plan that I outlined above typical? Can I be completely sure that going through the Solicitor (prosecutor) in this way and paying the fine that is stated in the Plea in Absencia that they send will clear everything up?

Thanks for any input.
Jacob

The prosecutor can strike a deal with you. As far as making sure the paper work and the deal will clear everything up, that is the question you will be asking Monday.

Good luck! Please post back with the results.

[lwpat]

Your experience is typical of the Georgia clerks. I am actually surprised that they answered the phone. The solicitor is the one that makes the deals, not the clerks. Shouldn't be a problem and it won't even be reported to Illinois.

[jacobswain]

I appreciate your input. I am glad to know that I got in touch with the right person (the solicitor.) It sounds like very few deals are worked out, so I guess I was lucky/blessed in that regard.

I do have a question for your more experienced than I: what happens to the original citation that was written for the 81 in a 55? Is that citation removed from the system somehow and the new rate of speed put in? I guess I'm not clear on how that works. I can understand why the lady at the number I called on the ticket (I'm assuming the Clerks office) only had the speed that was on the citation...but what happens to that now that I've made a deal with the Solicitor?

Also, I realize that because of my age that I'm supposed to have to appear in court. I live far from Atlanta couldn't make the trip. I guess that the "Plea in Absentia" will take my place on the court date, correct? Will the Clerk give that to the judge or will the prosecutor?

Lots of questions, I realize. Maybe I'll help someone else out with them though. I'm just curious how this process works.

Thanks!
Jacob