No matter how much a Massachusetts motorist might want to avoid a traffic fine, going to court to fight a citation is still going to cost them. That’s because the state now charges residents $25 just to appear before a traffic court judge to argue the merits of their case. State officials claim the new law was not intended to discourage residents from challenging traffic tickets in court, and even if it doesn’t, the new surcharge will pay dividends for government coffers. It is estimated the $25 fee will produce an additional $5 million annually, all of which will go towards financing the court system. Approximately 250,000 tickets given to motorists were contested last year.