I was issued two citations. First, driving without a buckled seat belt (I almost always buckle up, but not this morning.) Second, crossing the "gore" while trying to enter I285 Westbound, going south on 141/Peachtree Industrial Blvd. I don't believe I crossed the gore, for reasons I can discuss later. The officer said charge 1 was a no-point, $15 fine, but charge 2 was points and an undetermined fine. The officer said I could speak to someone in the solicitor's office on the court date to try to possible get the second charge reduced (no points but pay the fine) -- he wasn't overly specific. What should I do to prepare for the court date, and what should I expect at the court appearance?

Your court appearance will not require much preparation. Try to get familiar with you driving record. You can order a 7 yr MVR ("Motor Vehicle Record") from the Ga DDS. If you have a good record, the Solicitor will probably change the points related ticket to a no points violation. Of course, you will be required to pay a modest fine. In the future, keep in mind that police often will issue tickets for crossing the Gore.

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by Anonymouscommented on 14 Jul 2010 Thanks for answering my question, I will follow your advice precisely. I salute you for this and your other pro bono work.