Clayton County State Court Judge Tammy Long Hayward presided over the traffic bench calendar on Dec. 8, 2025, handling two calendar sessions in Courtroom 304 that addressed dozens of routine traffic citations.

Throughout the morning and midday sessions the court called a long list of names. Multiple defendants either entered pleas or were excused after the State announced nolle prosequi (no pros). Judge Hayward repeatedly administered plea colloquies, explaining that a plea of nolo contendere (Nolo) or guilty waives the right to a jury or judge trial, the right to confront witnesses and subpoena evidence, and that pleas can affect immigration status for noncitizens. The judge and prosecutors typically recommended fines of $100 per charged citation; the judge noted state surcharges on top of base fines and frequently cited $151.50 as the total after surcharges on $100 recommendations.

Examples from the calendar:
- Dante Ventrez Willis (case 2024TK20581) entered a Nolo plea to a following-too-close citation; the state recommended a $150 fine and the court granted 60 days to pay, directing Willis to obtain payment paperwork from the traffic window on the 2nd Floor. (Judge Hayward explained the rights the defendant gave up by pleading.)
- Ethan Castaneda (case 2024TK20631) entered a guilty plea to a failure-to-signal charge with a $100 recommendation; a second related case was nolle prossed under an agreement between defense counsel and the State.
- Stafford Eugene Cook Jr. entered Nolo pleas to obstructing an intersection and improper backing; the state recommended $100 on each count and the court allowed up to 60 days to pay.
- Asia Khadijah Cooper pled Nolo to a child-restraint violation; the State recommended a $25 fine with the remaining charges nolle prossed.
- Several matters (including Reimer) were bound over to state court where additional discovery will occur; others were recorded as failures to appear (FTA) and remain open for further proceedings.

Judge Hayward also used the hearing to give detailed procedural guidance for remote participants on Zoom: she asked everyone to display their first and last name on-screen, stay muted when not speaking, and follow breakout-room invitations for pretrial conferences with the State solicitor. When the court accepted pleas it routinely directed defendants to the traffic-court window on the 2nd Floor to collect paperwork and to find payment options (in-person, online, or by phone). The judge warned that missing payment deadlines could lead to enforcement actions, including possible issuance of arrest warrants for failure to comply with suspended-sentence conditions.

The calendar concluded with the court reviewing dispositions (pleas, no pros, bound-overs, and FTAs) and adjourning briefly before the 1:00 calendar. The court’s routine handling of the docket emphasized plea colloquies, payment timelines, and the available conference process with the State solicitor before trial.