Addressing a Failure to Appear on a Traffic Ticket
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Reviewed & verified by A. Jason Velez, Esq.*
Managing Attorney, 1LAW · Last reviewed January 13, 2026
Legal Inquiry
Consumer Legal Issue
I need some guidance on a traffic ticket I received and I tried to reschedule the date but rejected now I have a FTP and the court is not rescheduling the dates.
1. No I have not paid any fines yet. 2. The FTP is failure to appear for my appointment court date. The last 12/28/25.
Attorney Answer
Contact the court clerk immediately — Maryland courts generally notify the Motor Vehicle Administration of a failure to appear, and a license suspension may already be in motion.
When a court reports a failure to appear, the MVA can suspend the license until the underlying ticket is resolved, and reinstatement typically requires paying a fee once that happens. Many Maryland traffic courts do not allow an interlocutory appeal of a scheduling denial, so appealing the refusal to postpone is unlikely to succeed on its own. A more realistic path is asking the court to strike or reopen the failure to appear so the original ticket can still be heard on its merits.
What you can do:
1. Contact the court clerk's office today and ask about filing a motion to strike or reopen the failure to appear.
2. Ask whether the MVA has already been notified and what is required to lift or prevent a suspension.
3. Be prepared to pay a reinstatement fee and resolve the underlying ticket once the failure to appear is addressed.
4. Contact a local traffic attorney now to evaluate the strongest option for your specific case.
⏱ Time limits apply. Failure-to-appear reporting to the MVA can move quickly, so the window to contact the court and cure the failure to appear before a suspension takes effect is short — a local traffic attorney should review your case promptly to confirm exactly where things stand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after a court reports a failure to appear on a traffic ticket?
In many states, the motor vehicle agency can suspend a driver's license once a court reports a failure to appear, and reinstatement typically requires resolving the underlying ticket and paying a fee.
Can a failure to appear be reversed after it's entered?
In many jurisdictions, a driver can file a motion asking the court to strike or reopen a failure to appear so the original ticket can still be heard on its merits.
Can someone appeal a court's refusal to reschedule a hearing?
Many traffic courts don't allow an interlocutory appeal of a scheduling denial, making a motion to strike or reopen a failure to appear a more realistic path forward.
