FTA
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Failure to appear |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Law & Legal, Business & Finance, Government & Politics, Sports |
FTA has four meanings. The most common are Failure to appear (criminal law) and Free trade agreement (economics); it can also stand for Federal Transit Administration and Free throw attempts.
Meanings of FTA at a glance
| # | FTA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Failure to appear | Law & Legal › Criminal Law |
| 2 | Free trade agreement | Business & Finance › Economics |
| 3 | Federal Transit Administration | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
| 4 | Free throw attempts | Sports › Basketball |
1. Failure to appear
Law & Legal · Criminal Law Abbreviations · also used in government
Failure of a defendant to attend a required court date. An FTA usually leads to a bench warrant and forfeiture of any bail posted, sometimes to a separate criminal charge, and in traffic cases often to suspension of the driver's license.
Example: The defendant has two prior FTAs, so the prosecutor is asking for a higher bond.
In federal court, failing to appear after release is itself a crime under 18 U.S.C. § 3146. Many courts now send text-message reminders, which studies show reduce missed appearances. In trade policy, FTA means free trade agreement, and in transportation, the Federal Transit Administration.
2. Free trade agreement
Business & Finance · Economics Abbreviations
Treaty between two or more countries that removes or reduces tariffs, quotas and other barriers on most trade in goods and often services and investment, while each member keeps its own trade policy toward outsiders. Rules of origin determine which products qualify.
Example: The FTA eliminates tariffs on 98 percent of goods traded between the two countries within ten years.
Examples include the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA in 2020, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and the 15-member RCEP in Asia. Unlike a customs union, an FTA does not impose a common external tariff. WTO rules allow FTAs as an exception to most-favored-nation treatment if they cover substantially all trade.
3. Federal Transit Administration
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Provides funding and safety oversight for public transportation, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail and ferries. Its Capital Investment Grants program helps cities build new transit lines, and the DOT agency is led by an Administrator.
Example: The city's light-rail extension received a $1 billion FTA grant agreement.
Founded in 1964 as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, it was renamed in 1991. Transit agencies receiving its money must follow federal Buy America and accessibility requirements. In trade policy FTA usually means free trade agreement, so headlines about FTAs typically concern trade deals rather than buses and trains.
4. Free throw attempts
Sports · Basketball Abbreviations
Number of free throws a player takes, reflecting how often he draws fouls. Made free throws are FTM, and free-throw rate (FTr) compares FTA with field goal attempts.
Example: He attacked the rim all night and went 14-of-16 on FTA.
Players who live at the line, such as James Harden and Joel Embiid, rank among the leaders in FTA per game. Wilt Chamberlain attempted 34 free throws in a single game. Rule changes in 2021-22 reduced rewards for non-basketball moves designed to draw fouls.
Related abbreviations
More criminal law abbreviations
- CW – Cooperating witness
- DOC – Department of Corrections
- DPA – Deferred prosecution agreement
- DV – Domestic violence
- GBMI – Guilty but mentally ill
- GCT – Good conduct time
- GJ – Grand jury
- IAC – Ineffective assistance of counsel
See all 46 criminal law abbreviations →
More economics abbreviations
- FDI – Foreign direct investment
- FFR – Federal funds rate
- FOMC – Federal Open Market Committee
- FPI – Foreign portfolio investment
- FX – Foreign exchange
- GDI – Gross domestic income
- GDP – Gross domestic product
- GFC – Global financial crisis
See all 81 economics abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.