I missed a court date for a traffic ticket, how do I get another court date?

[keke]

I got a speeding ticket for driving 82mph in a 50mph zone. In the state of Louisiana, its a mandatory court appearance for 31 miles or more over the limit. I missed my scheduled court appearance because I misplaced the ticket. I called the courthouse, and the clerk told me I just had to come up there to get a new date. She told me do it asap or my driving privileges may suspended. When I went there, I was told by the clerk that I had to pay the contempt of court fee and the amount of the ticket in order to get another court date. This makes no sense to me because if I pay the ticket then I'm pleading guilty to the offense. The total came to 491.00. I cannot shell out this amount of money at this time and I would also like to plead my case to a judge before paying the ticket. I do believe that I should pay the contempt fee, but I also believe I should have the right to talk to a judge! I'd really appreciate if someone who has a little experience in this area can give me some insight on what I can expect. Thanks In Advance!