Well then, it's either the county you live in or it's just you.
You can have an attorney meet with the prosecutor and negotiate a deal before it even goes to the judge.
I have not been to every 'court' in the US, but every one I have been to (traffic court) you had the RIGHT to bring in an attorney.
An Attorney can represent you for anything. The legal system is daunting to most. They rule the everyday.
Never ignore them. They will jail you.
If your guilty then pay up. If your innocent then show up.
It’s as simple as that.
If it’s a criminal offense we have now walked into the deep-end of the pool.
Advice changes some.