Entering a Plea

When you are charged with a crime, you must state in court your formal response to the charge -- and your response is entered in the court files. Your may plead not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity, guilty or no-contest. Another term for no contest is nolo contendere. When you plead no-contest, you are admitting that the facts in the criminal indictment are true but you are not admitting your guilt. You have the right to consult with an attorney before entering a plea.

No Contest versus Guilty

If you enter a plea of either guilty or no contest, you cannot argue before the criminal court judge that you are innocent. A no contest plea leaves you in the same position in your criminal case as if you had pleaded guilty or pleaded not guilty and were found guilty at trial. On the other hand, a no contest plea cannot be used against you in subsequent legal actions.

Benefits of a No Contest Plea

A no contest plea has one great advantage over a guilty plea: it cannot be used against you in a civil case arising from the same facts. For example, if you are charged with reckless driving after your car hits another car, you are likely to face two lawsuits: the criminal case for reckless driving brought by the prosecutor and a civil case for damages brought by the owner of the other car. If you plead guilty to reckless driving, the other car owner can use that plea to establish your guilt in the civil case. If you plea no contest to reckless driving, the criminal conviction cannot be used to establish your guilt since you did not admit guilt.

Criminal Record

A criminal record is a statement about your criminal history. Exactly what types of actions are included in the statement depend upon the laws of your state and county. Many states allow criminal records to include all crimes, both misdemeanors and felonies, to which a person is found guilty. These include any crimes to which you plead guilty or no contest.