There are two traffic courts. Try to be in the one for rich people.

[yardwork]

4. Or you can try showing up in court early, and asking the assistant DA for a reduced charge

and then asking the judge for a "prayer for judgement continued." This only works if you have a truly clean record. I did it once for a speeding ticket. The ADA knocked down the number of miles over the speed limit I was charged with driving, and the judge agreed to give me a prayer for judgement continued, which meant that I had to pay the fine but the ticket didn't appear on my record, didn't affect my insurance, and was wiped out if I had no further tickets for five years. If I got a ticket in that time frame, they had the right to reinstate the original charge.

I did not hire a lawyer. I simply dressed professionally and showed up in court a little early on my court date.