NO CONTEST

Also known as nolo contendere. This is a criminal plea by a defendant where the defendant does not contest the criminal charges, makes no plea but accepts punishment. There is no technical admission of guilt although a judge will usually equate it to mean as such. Such a plea is usually entered so that the results of a criminal case cannot be used as an admission of guilt and conviction of the defendant in a civil lawsuit, e.g. a criminal prosecution for reckless driving where the defendant is also being sued by an injured motorist in civil court.