The first hearing is the most important one so you better be there. Showing up will get you one step closer to getting that ticket dismissed and be gone forever. Of all the 35 million people who receive a traffic ticket each year, only 5 percent will bring the matter to court. Half of that percentage gets dismissed. That probability is a great bonus but really just contesting it will give you the opportunity to get more lenient sanctions.
One other critical thing on how to fight a speeding ticket in court is to dress properly and look presentable. The judges of these courts see so many people on a regular basis who go to court underdressed and looking like they haven't taken a bath for days and haven't shaven for days. Seeing you in a nice suit or corporate dress will be a welcoming sight to them for sure - and that is a great impression that can benefit you. You will have to plead Not Guilty and you will be assigned a court date.
The preparation for the defense will begin and you should collect all the evidences that can help you with your case. Check the site where you were ticketed and see if you can find anything plausible to bring to court to challenge the officer's citations. Make a research on the local laws that govern the state where your trial is set. Read up on a lot of books and check some websites to gather more information. The more you know about legal matters related to you, the more you will be able to defend yourself better.
It will also help to contact the officer who issued the ticket. You can politely request him to listen to your side of the story (if you have one valid excuse) and request if he can pull the file or take back the citation.
If you are keen on knowing more about how to fight a speeding ticket in court, you have to know one very good strategy. You can check with the police department on when the officer is scheduled for a day off. This information could work for you since you can have your trial rescheduled. Depending on the state again, you have a number of times to delay a hearing. The longer you have this case postponed, the greater the chance that the officer will forget about his duty to appear in court. If he fails to appear, the court instantly dismisses the case.
If you really have a good case, then you have a big chance of winning. Winning will completely take out that citation and your driver's license is squeaky-clean. The insurance company won't be increasing your premium by 50% so, you're still off to the good life you had before you even had to think of how to fight a speeding ticket in court.