Nolo Contendere (Noun)
Meaning
(law) an answer of `no contest' by a defendant who does not admit guilt but that subjects him to conviction.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The defendant entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge of reckless driving, which allowed him to avoid a trial but still resulted in a conviction.
- By entering a nolo contendere plea, the accused avoided having to admit guilt, but still had to pay a substantial fine.
- The district attorney accepted the defendant's nolo contendere plea, which enabled her to move on to other cases.
- As part of the plea bargain, the defendant agreed to enter a nolo contendere plea to a lesser charge, rather than going to trial.
- The judge explained to the defendant that entering a nolo contendere plea would result in a conviction, but would not be considered an admission of guilt for the purposes of future lawsuits.