Comedian and actor Tiffany Haddish is set to face trial next month in Fayette County on criminal charges stemming from her 2022 arrest in Peachtree City after the judge overseeing the case denied her request to dismiss it.
Haddish, accused of driving while under the influence of marijuana and alcohol, recently asked the judge to throw the case out, claiming her right to a speedy trial had been violated.
That request was denied Wednesday by Fayette County State Court Judge Jason Thompson, who said Haddish and her lawyers are partly responsible for the case delays to date. He said Haddish is set to stand trial the week of Aug. 13.
“The court finds that the defendant’s failure to show evidence of actual prejudice counterbalances the prejudice that is presumed based upon the length of a delay in trying the case,” the judge said in an order.
Haddish’s attorneys and the prosecutors in the case did not respond Thursday to inquiries about the ruling. Prosecutors opposed Haddish’s attempt to scuttle the case.
Haddish has been on bond since her arrest in January 2022, charged with driving under the influence, failure to obey a traffic control device, improper stopping on the roadway and a parking violation.
According to a police report, Haddish was spotted asleep at the wheel of a 2021 Ford Explorer along Ga. 74 near Ga. 54 around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2022. Police said they suspected Haddish of being under the influence of marijuana and alcohol.
In her recent request to end the case, Haddish said her lawyers had indicated to the court approximately 10 times since July 2024 that she is ready for trial and waiting on its orders. She said being on bond for more than 50 months was “personally, professionally and emotionally difficult.”
In his order Wednesday, Thompson said Haddish’s lawyers had notified the court they were not available for trial in December 2023, December 2024 and February 2025 because of their commitments in other cases.
The judge said Haddish’s attorneys also filed 15 notices of their inability to appear in court on certain dates between March 2023 and March 2026, which meant the case was excluded from five trial calendars during that time.
Thompson said Haddish did not present evidence of specific work opportunities she has missed out on because of the delay, nor details of any detrimental financial impact.
He noted she requested and was granted a trial continuance in October 2024 so she could attend a fashion show in Morocco. And he said he allowed her to leave one hearing early to catch a flight.
Haddish had argued that she had difficulty obtaining travel documents to work in some countries, including Australia, because of the pending charges. She also said some corporate entities have been hesitant to work with her while the case hangs over her head.
The judge said prosecutors are responsible for some case delays, but those “weigh lightly” against the state because there’s no evidence the prosecutors tried to hamper the defense in any way. Court records show a key prosecution witness was unavailable in June 2025 because of a vacation.
Thompson acknowledged that Haddish didn’t raise her speedy trial argument until May or oppose prosecutors’ previous requests for case continuances.
The judge conceded there was a delay in issuing an order on Haddish’s attempt to suppress certain evidence, citing the court’s caseload. He said there’s nothing to show the delays in the case have caused the loss of a witness or the destruction of evidence.
Thompson said Haddish’s claims about the delays causing her anxiety and concern are not enough to end the case.
“Anxiety and concern of the accused are always present to some extent, and thus, absent some unusual showing, are not likely to be determinative in the defendant’s favor,” he said.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
