A guy who works for me just got a ticket last month. He went to the local court to plead not guilty but before his case was called the judge announced that anyone who wanted to discuss their ticket with the officer ( "play lets make a deal") could do so out in the hall. So he went into the hall and saw the cop who approached HIM!! The cop asked what did I write you for and how are you going to plead. He told him and that he intended to plead not guilty with a trail date. The cop offered to change it to a seat belt ticket if he would plead guilty. He did.

This has happened twice that I know about. So my new policy will be to show up at court and try to talk to the cop first, That's if my son the cop can't get the ticket to go away before hand ;-)