The plea permits conviction without an admission of factual guilt. Rule 410 makes nolo pleas inadmissible in civil proceedings, unlike guilty pleas which are party admissions.
Some jurisdictions restrict availability of the plea.
Alternative Names:
No Contest|Nolo Plea
Why it Matters?
Inadmissibility in later civil proceedings is the plea's central value to a defendant facing parallel civil exposure, since a guilty plea is an admissible party admission while a nolo plea generally is not. That difference makes plea negotiation in parallel proceedings a civil defense consideration as much as a criminal one. Collateral estoppel from the criminal judgment may still apply in some jurisdictions despite the plea's inadmissibility.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why does the plea matter in civil litigation?
Does collateral estoppel still apply?
