The bad news: Amy Winehouse’s assault charge is going to be tough to beat, considering that there are, you know, photographs of the singer popping a female dancer right in the face during last year’s Summer Ball in London. The good news: Amy showed up for her court appearance, looking mildly coherent and clean, to plead not guilty. Her dad, Mitch, was there to offer support. Baby steps, folks. Baby steps.

Amy Winehouse cracked her knuckles, adjusted her beehive – and to the delight of the 20 reporters in a London courtroom – spoke clearly from behind a clear plastic shield on the stand Tuesday morning.

Uttering only a few lines during a 15 minute hearing in the City of Westminster Magistrates Court, Winehouse proudly proclaimed her name as Amy Jade Civil – her married name. And, leaning forward to speak through a gap in the plastic, she pleaded “not guilty” when a charge of common assault against Sherene Flash was put to her.

The assault is alleged to have happened in September 2008 in Berkeley Square, London, at a high society ball.

Winehouse, 25, was dressed in a summery floral print, low-cut dress, which revealed her many tattoos and her bra strap, and four-inch pink stilettos. Asked at one point, as she fidgeted with her hair, if she was okay, she turned a security guard and said, “Me? I’m alright.”

Watching the proceedings from a few feet away was her father Mitch and a minder, who had driven her down to the court from her new home in Barnet, north London.

District judge and chief magistrate Timothy Workman set a trial date of July 23 and Winehouse was remanded on bail.

Leaving the hearing, the singer strutted and posed for the gathered photographers before being whisked away.

[From People]

According to Sherene Flash, the woman who pressed charges, Amy – who was clearly out of her mind on drugs that night, if the photos are any indication – politely agreed to have her photo taken with the woman, but as soon as the photo was snapped, she started screaming and throwing punches – two of them landing on Flash’s arm and cheek. Amy also spit on another party goer and head-butted the event’s official photographer. Several witnesses corroborated this, and there are photos as well. Oh, Amy. The sad part? She is probably pleading not guilty because she doesn’t even remember that night. Let’s hope those nights of head-butting, spitting and punching are a thing of the past.

Here’s Amy walking into the courthouse this morning to plead not guilty. Maybe not the most appropriate court attire, but a big improvement for her. Photos: WENN.