If you plead “no contest” to a crime, you are not admitting guilt to the charge.
If you are a fan of crime or legal television dramas, you may be familiar with the part of a criminal proceeding where a defendant gets to enter a plea, known as the arraignment. In most cases, the TV defendant chooses one of two options: guilty or not guilty. But in real life, there is a third common option that many California defendants choose: “no contest.”
What exactly does a “no contest” plea mean? The term comes from the Latin phrase “nolo contendere,” which translates to “I do not wish to contest.” In other words, it means that while you are not admitting that you are guilty to the charges, you are not going to fight them either.
Once you plead “no contest” to criminal charges, the court will determine your punishment. But before the court can do that, a judge has to accept your “no contest” plea. He or she will make sure that you understand that a “no contest” plea is considered the same as a guilty plea. The court will also confirm that you are freely and voluntarily choosing to enter your “no contest” plea. If the judge is satisfied that you understand what the “no contest” plea means and that you have not been coerced into making the plea, then you will be sentenced for the crime.
So why would a person choose to enter a “no contest” plea instead of a guilty plea? For felony cases, there is no advantage to pleading “no contest” — but for misdemeanor cases, there is a potentially significant advantage if you are also involved in a civil lawsuit. That is because under California law, a “no contest” plea cannot be used against you in a civil lawsuit that is based on the same conduct. For example, if you were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with a misdemeanor, you may want to plead “no contest” if you caused a car accident while driving drunk. If someone was hurt in the accident — or if somebody’s property was damaged — and they file a civil lawsuit against you for it, then a “no contest” plea for the misdemeanor DUI can be incredibly helpful. The civil case will move forward as if there had been no criminal investigation into your drunk driving case. If you had pled guilty — or pled not guilty and been found guilty at trial — that could have been used against you in the civil case. Pleading “no contest” gives you an advantage in the civil case that otherwise would not be available to you.
If you have been charged with a crime, you will need a highly skilled criminal attorney. In Los Angeles, CA, the Chambers Law Firm represents people who have been charged with misdemeanor and felony crimes. We offer free initial consultations, where we explain the charges and your options. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to learn more about how we can help you if you have been charged with a crime in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas.
