If you’re charged with a criminal offense in Barrow County, Georgia, you need to contact an experienced attorney immediately. Philip Kim will examine the evidence, explain your rights, and work relentlessly to construct a strong defense. If you need Barrow County Traffic Court Services, read on.

The Piedmont Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office represents indigent defendants in Banks, Barrow, and Jackson Counties. It also handles felony drug court and mental health treatment courts.

Traffic Court Rules

The rules that apply in traffic court are different from those that govern criminal court. For instance, in most cases, there is no jury in a traffic ticket trial and the judge decides whether you’re guilty or not. The judge may also allow you to present evidence, such as pictures or recordings, during your trial.

In a traffic ticket trial, the officer who issued your citation will testify and you’ll have the opportunity to call witnesses. However, there are some exceptions to the hearsay rule that might allow the officer to testify about statements you made that tend to prove your guilt.

If you want to fight your traffic citation, you must ask for a trial before the date on your ticket. If you don’t pay the fine or come to court on the due date, the court can issue a warrant for your arrest and suspend your driver’s license. It’s important to consult an experienced lawyer for help.

Traffic Court Calendar

When an officer or trooper issues you a traffic ticket, there is usually a date on the bottom of the summons. This is a court date when you are supposed to appear for a trial or conference. If you choose to plead guilty, there will likely be a different court date. It is important to make your appearance unless you are hiring an attorney to handle your case for you.

To find out when your hearing is, use the court calendar search page. You can search by name, case number or hearing date. This site also provides information about telephonic hearings and conferences.

Barrow County is part of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit and the Superior Court Tenth District. It is served by a Probate Court, a Juvenile Court and a Magistrate Court. The State Court handles all misdemeanor criminal offenses alleged in the unincorporated areas of the county, civil cases where a jury trial is demanded and appeals from Magistrate Court decisions.

Traffic Court Forms

Generally, traffic tickets are for minor infractions of the law and may be disposed of by payment of a fine, setting up a payment plan or requesting a mitigation or contested hearing. If your ticket is for a misdemeanor or felony offense you will need to refer to the Criminal section of the Court’s main website for information.

It is important that you respond to your ticket by the arraignment date listed on the front of the ticket or you will be required to come to court to answer the charges. Failure to respond will result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and your driver’s license could be suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

To avoid this, you can request a court date for your case online using the form below. Please review the Available Court Dates Listing and choose a date before completing this online request form. You will receive an email response indicating whether or not your requested court date has been scheduled.

Traffic Court Locations

The Barrow County Courthouse is the home of a Superior Court, a State Court, Probate Court, Juvenile Court, Magistrate Court, Municipal Courts for Winder, Auburn, and Statham, and the District Attorney’s Office. The Court also houses the Probate office, which collects county and state traffic fines and administers public officer oaths and approves, files, and records public officer bonds. Additionally, Administrative License Suspension Hearings are held in the Court.

The State Court has jurisdiction over all misdemeanor crimes alleged in the unincorporated parts of Barrow County, traffic cases brought before any municipal court in Barrow County where a jury trial is demanded, and civil actions filed by or on behalf of any municipality in Barrow County. In addition, the Barrow County State Court handles appeals of any decisions made by the magistrate courts in any civil case. In some instances, the Superior Court may have exclusive jurisdiction over a matter. This determination is made by the Superior Court Judge.