if the officer that wrote you the ticket dosent show up, the court has an officer on hand to take care of the ticket... I thought i got lucky once when i had a speeding ticket and the writing officer didnt show..little did i know...the judge asks the group of officers that were present if "someone would please take care of officer (insert name here) tickets"...and the court kept on like the officer was there. no break or anything. Now, if I had plead guilty and the ticket wasn't already reduced to its minimum then maybe there would be a chance to have the ticket dropped. etc...