Acceptance of a no contest plea by the court means the defendant is pleading guilty.

Acceptance of a no contest plea by the court means the defendant is pleading guilty.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not specified
• D. Depends on the judge

Answer: (B)

A no contest plea is a way to resolve charges without admitting guilt. When the court accepts a no contest plea, the defendant is not admitting guilt, but the court treats the plea as a conviction for the purposes of the criminal case, and sentencing proceeds just as it would after a guilty plea. So, in terms of the court’s decision and the resulting punishment, the defendant is pleading guilty. The key difference is the absence of an admission of guilt, which can affect civil liability outside the criminal case, but the criminal consequence is the same: conviction and sentencing.

A no contest plea is a way to resolve charges without admitting guilt. When the court accepts a no contest plea, the defendant is not admitting guilt, but the court treats the plea as a conviction for the purposes of the criminal case, and sentencing proceeds just as it would after a guilty plea. So, in terms of the court’s decision and the resulting punishment, the defendant is pleading guilty. The key difference is the absence of an admission of guilt, which can affect civil liability outside the criminal case, but the criminal consequence is the same: conviction and sentencing.