nolo contendere
A plea by which a defendant accepts conviction as though a guilty plea had been entered but does not admit guilt.
Also known as 'no contest', this plea has the same immediate legal effect as a guilty plea in traffic court, but it cannot be used as an admission of guilt in future civil lawsuits.
Word relationships
- no contest: No contest is the common English translation and equivalent of the Latin phrase nolo contendere.
Commonly confused with
- guilty: A guilty plea is an explicit admission of wrongdoing, whereas nolo contendere simply accepts the punishment without admitting the deed.
Collocations
- plead nolo contendere
- enter a plea of nolo contendere
- nolo contendere plea
Example sentences
- "By pleading nolo contendere to the reckless driving charge, the driver avoided having that plea used against him in the subsequent civil lawsuit." A news article about a traffic accident lawsuit.
- "Pleading nolo contendere is a strategic move often recommended after an accident to protect against personal liability." A legal advice forum.
Memory hook
Focus on 'nolo' (no) and 'contendere' (contend/fight). You are telling the judge: 'No, I will not fight this, but I'm not saying I did it.' Nolo contendere: No fight, no confession.
When not to use
Do not use if you are trying to argue your innocence in the current hearing, as the court will sentence you immediately.
Fun facts
- While highly useful in protecting against civil lawsuits, some states do not allow a nolo contendere plea for certain serious traffic offenses like DUIs.
Related words
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