My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: California
22450A VC-I
I received a ticket for not stopping before the limit line. I am 18. On the ticket all the description says is Stop Sign.

I am willing to plead guilty, but I was fined $250 for this. I have to take traffic school as well to keep the point off so it's going to run around $315 if I just pay.

My ticket says to appear in court on or before 7/#/2011 so can I show up to the courthouse whenever to speak to the judge about reducing my fine or do I show up on the date posted?

Do I have to plead not guilty to speak to someone or can I plead neither, speak to the judge, and then declare it so that I don't admit guilt and rule out dismissal?

What are the steps that I will be going through when I go to court?

Should I bring up all of these or will some of them not help?:
1. I was going downhill so it would make sense that I went a over a bit.
2. I came to a complete stop, but my front bumper was past the limit line and my front tires were on the line.
3. There were no pedestrians or other vehicles around.
4. The ticket was on the day of my highschool graduation on my way to rehearsal. My diploma date as proof.
5. I had a passenger that I was driving to graduation.
6. I just enrolled in college and have no money left. Financial hardship. No income.
7. This is my first offense.