What is the legal term for not admitting guilt?
Asked by: Prof. Maximillia Kuhic Jr. | Last update: August 18, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (61 votes)
A no-contest plea means that defendants refuse to admit guilt but accept punishment as if guilty, and is often offered as a part of a plea bargain.
What is it called when you don't admit guilt?
Not Guilty Plea
The defendant is informing the court that he or she denies guilt or has a defense in the case and that the state must prove what it has charged in the complaint.
What is legal terminology for not guilty?
A. Acquittal. A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction. Active judge.
What is it called when you don't plead guilty?
“No Contest” Pleas in California Criminal Law Cases. Pleading no contest (sometimes called nolo contendere) in a California criminal proceeding means that the defendant agrees to accept a conviction for the crime(s). However, he or she does not admit to being factually guilty when entering the plea.
What does it mean without admitting guilt?
A "no-contest" plea means you agree to accept a conviction, but not admitting to factual guilt. Pleading no contest in a criminal proceeding means that the defendant agrees to accept a conviction for the crime. Still, they are not admitting to being factually guilty when entering their plea.
You're supposed to plead NOT GUILTY (even if you did it).
What is the legal term for admission of guilt?
plea - In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges in open court.
What is accepting punishment without admitting guilt?
A plea of nolo contendere, or no contest, is not an admission of guilt or innocence, but an agreement to any punishment given by the court as if a guilty plea had been entered.
What is pleading guilty and not guilty?
For a plea of "not guilty", a court date must be scheduled in person with the court on or before the 10-day date on your citation. Plea of Guilty: By a plea of guilty, you admit that you committed the act charged and that the act is prohibited by law, and that you have no defense or excuse for your act.
What is the meaning of Alford plea?
The name, Alford plea, is taken from the case North Carolina v. Alford . An Alford plea, also known as a "best-interests plea," registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges .
What does nolle prosequi mean?
Nolle prosequi (abbreviated nol. pros. ) is a Latin phrase, which directly translates to “not to wish to prosecute.” Nolle prosequi is a legal notice or entry of record that the prosecutor or plaintiff has decided to abandon the prosecution or lawsuit .
What is a word for "not guilty"?
synonyms: acquitted. clean-handed, guiltless, innocent. free from evil or guilt.
What are some legal terms?
Party: A person or legal entity that is named as a plaintiff or defendant on legal papers. Paternity: Legal fatherhood. Pendente lite order: A court order made before final orders are granted. Peremptory Challenge: The rejection of a prospective juror by the attorneys in a case, without having to give a reason.
What if you plead not guilty?
What happens if I plead not guilty? A not guilty plea denies the charge and none of your constitutional rights are waived unless you expressly wish to do so. You are presumed innocent, and the prosecution must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at a subsequent trial.
What is a word for without guilt?
synonyms: clean-handed, innocent. exculpatory. clearing of guilt or blame. absolved, clear, cleared, exculpated, exonerated, vindicated.
What is a plea deal where you don't admit guilt?
In United States law, an Alford plea, also called a Kennedy plea in West Virginia, an Alford guilty plea, and the Alford doctrine, is a guilty plea in criminal court, whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence, but accepts imposition of a sentence.
What is it called to be found not guilty?
An acquittal is a finding by a judge or jury that a defendant is not guilty of the charged crime. An acquittal does not necessarily mean the defendant is innocent in a criminal case. Instead, it means that the prosecutor failed to prove that the defendant was guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
What is the difference between a Nolo and an Alford plea?
(More detail can be found in our article on "No Contest" Pleas (Nolo Contendere).) A defendant who enters an Alford plea pleads guilty but claims to be innocent. With a no contest plea, a defendant accepts punishment but doesn't admit guilt.
What is a standby plea?
A standby plea is another less common type of plea that involves a defendant entering a guilty or no contest plea while maintaining the right to appeal specific legal issues.
What does the name Alford mean?
Origin:British. Meaning:The old river-ford. Alford is a boy's name of Old English origin.
What is it called when you don't plead guilty or innocent?
California. In California, a nolo contendere plea is known as a West plea after a seminal case involving plea bargains, People v. West (1970) 3 Cal.
What does "voir dire" mean in law?
The phrase "Voir Dire" literally means, "to speak the truth." In court, it refers to a process of determining whether a juror can serve fairly and impartially in a given case by asking the juror various questions.
What is a guilty plea to not guilty?
A defendant can change their guilty plea at any stage prior to sentence, but it can be tricky. Referred to as vacating your plea in the legal world, changing a plea to not guilty is often a difficult process which requires careful preparation and expert legal arguments to be made as part of the application.
What is the term for not admitting guilt?
no·lo con·ten·de·re ˈnō-(ˌ)lō-kən-ˈten-də-rē : a plea in a criminal prosecution that without admitting guilt subjects the defendant to conviction but does not preclude denying the truth of the charges in a collateral proceeding.
What does nolo mean?
Nolo means No Contest. This plea means you are not pleading guilty or not guilty, but simply accepting the charge and agreeing to the fine and sentence.
Which plea is neither an admission nor a denial of guilt?
“Nolo contendere” means “I do not want to contest.” It indicates you are not technically entering an admission of guilt but are allowing the court to impose their punishment. Before pleading "no contest,” the judge must accept the plea and ensure you understand it will be considered the same as a guilty plea.