Update: Today I went to court hearing and I got my ticket reduced to $115 from $197. I found the process quite straightforward. I had to wait about 35 minutes. The judge was nice and I didn't have to say anything, he instantly presented my options. They even gave me the option to choose the deadline for the payment if I needed more time.
So based on what I saw in the court room today, I'd advice everyone to go to the court hearing for a possible reduction. Obviously it takes some time, but it wasn't a bad experience.
Thanks for the advice!