Nolo Contendere

Nolo Contendere Meaning in the U.S. Court System

No contest. A plea of nolo contendere has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.

Meaning of Nolo Contendere in the U.S. Legal System

Definition of Nolo Contendere published by the National Association for Court Management: A plea of no contest. In many jurisdictions, it is an expression that the matter will not be contested, but without an admission of guilt. In other jurisdictions, it is an admission of the charges and is equivalent to a guilty plea.

Meaning of Nolo Contendere in Spanish

Description/ translation of nolo contendere into Spanish: contestación del encausado en la que no se declara ni culpable ni no culpable, aunque tiene jurídicamente el valor de un reconocimiento de culpabilidad[1]

Note: for more information on related terms and on the area of law where nolo contendere belongs (criminal procedure law), in Spanish, see here.

Notes and References

1. Translation of Nolo Contendere published by Antonio Peñaranda

Concept of “Nolo Contendere”

Traditional meaning of nolo contendere in English (with some legal use of this latin concept in England and the United States in the XIX Century) [1]: (in Latin) (I do not wish to contend.) The name of a plea in an indictment or criminal case, upon which the accused may be sentenced. It does not conclude the defendant from disputing in a civil action the facts charged in the indictment; see 9 Pick. 206; Robinson’s Elementary Law Rev. ed.; § 601.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Based on A Concise Law Dictionary of Words, Phrases and Maxims, “Nolo Contendere”, Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1911, United States. It is also called the Stimson’s Law dictionary. This term and/or definition may be absolete.

See Also

Nolo Contendere (Criminal Judicial Process)

Nolo Contendere

Nolo Contendere