The City of Atlanta Municipal Court if offering residents a chance to resolve failures to appear in court. The warrant amnesty program is a one-time program for individuals who face arrest and other penalties due to delinquent traffic, city ordinance, or misdemeanor violations, and provides the opportunity to clear past violations without additional court penalties. Under the program, contempt fees for a past failure to appear will be waived and the outstanding warrant will be cancelled. The amnesty period will run through Friday, March 27.
Additionally, in an effort to give people a greater opportunity to clear past violations, the City of Atlanta Municipal Court will host Warrant Amnesty Day on Saturday, March 21. Starting at 9 a.m., the court will open to service individuals who want to clear past violations without additional court penalties.
“We are pleased to extend an opportunity for individuals who previously failed to appear at a scheduled court appearance to come forward and resolve their case while saving money and avoiding arrest in the process,” Chief Judge Herman Sloan said.
In order to qualify for the warrant amnesty program individuals must have:
- Have an un-adjudicated citation filed at court before Nov. 18, 2014
- Have a Fail to Appear (FTA) for that citation.
Individuals who wish to clear penalties and warrants under the amnesty program are encouraged to take the following steps:
1. Visit the court’s website at http://court.atlantaga.gov or contact the Warrant Department at (404) 658-6959 to confirm an outstanding warrant is active.
2. Complete warrant amnesty registration form online, submit the form by mail, or register in person at the court
3. A court representative will contact registrants to provide instructions on next steps once the registration form has been processed. Depending on the violation, an in-person court appearance may be required to resolve the case.
4. Pay the outstanding amount in full online, or by mail. Individuals may also appear in person, though court staff will advise if an in-person court appearance is required.
5. Once the final adjudication is entered, the court will provide written documentation the warrant has been cancelled, a court release (DDS 912) form, and a certified copy of case disposition, upon request.
When the amnesty period ends remaining outstanding warrants will be rigorously enforced.