Posted by duijim in on March 22, 2015
The Municipal Court of Atlanta is my favorite place to practice law. While many lawyers loathe the Municipal Court of Atlanta it is like home to me. I began my legal career in this court as a DUI and traffic prosecutor when the court was the City Court of Atlanta. A year later the Municipal Court of Atlanta absorbed city court.
I stayed on as a DUI and traffic prosecutor, but I also started prosecuting other crimes such as drug charges, assault, and battery, weapons violations, etc. After 3 years of working as a prosecutor in the 2 court systems of Atlanta, I left and began my own DUI practice.
Municipal Court of Atlanta General Information
The Municipal Court of Atlanta is located at 150 Garnett Street Atlanta, Georgia 30303. The court hears traffic violations, including DUI charges, as well as other misdemeanors (possession of marijuana, shoplifting), city ordinance violations, and Atlanta housing code violations.
The municipal court has court sessions five times per week at 8 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM. To learn more about the court visit their web site here.
Municipal Court of Atlanta Court Programs
The municipal court has several programs that may help you dispose of your case without a conviction. Such programs include their pre-trial diversion program (PTI), their pre-trial diversion program for traffic tickets (PTIT), and for drivers under the age of 21 the Teens Learning Control Program (TLC).
To learn more about these programs go here.
Municipal Court of Atlanta Solicitor General
The solicitor general is in charge of prosecuting the offenses in the Municipal Court of Atlanta. If you are charged with an offense you may be able to negotiate your case before attending court.
If not, you may negotiate your case with the prosecutor on your court date. For information, including contact information, about the solicitor general please visit their web site.
Right To An Attorney/Public Defender In The Municipal Court Of Atlanta
Many of the charges heard in the municipal court are misdemeanors, or carry the likelihood, of jail time. Therefore, you are entitled to hire an attorney to represent you on these charges.
If you cannot afford an attorney, and you qualify as indigent under the federal poverty guidelines, the court may appoint a public defender to represent you. To learn more about the public defender’s office in the municipal court visit their web site.
Paying A Parking Ticket In The Municipal Court Of Atlanta
If you have received a parking citation either from Park Atlanta, or the police department, you may pay it online instead of attending court.
These tickets do not go on your driving history, and do not have an impact on your insurance rates. You may pay these citations online here.
Paying Other Citations In The Municipal Court of Atlanta
You may pay certain citations online, in person, or by mail in the municipal court. However, some citations require a court appearance.
Some of these violations include:
- DUI,
- No Proof of Insurance,
- Any accident citation,
- Hit and Run,
- Expired Tag,
- Driving On A Suspended License, etc.
To learn more about which citations may be paid ahead of your court date please visit their site.
The Municipal Court of Atlanta Expert
Finally, if you need an attorney to represent you in the Municipal Court of Atlanta contact the expert, Jim Yeargan. I worked in the Municipal Court of Atlanta for many years, and I enjoy handling cases in this court whereas many of my colleagues do not.
My long history and deep relationships in the court make the Municipal Court of Atlanta my favorite court in the State of Georgia.