Guide for Victims of Crime - Guilty or No Contest Plea

Following all the pretrial hearings, the case is ready for trial. However, a defendant may choose to enter a plea of guilty to a charge, which means there is no trial and no presentation of evidence or witnesses. The prosecutor reads a brief statement of facts into the court record, and a summary of any agreements about the plea. A defendant can plead guilty or no contest.

A no contest plea means the defendant can be convicted and sentenced for the criminal charges, but the plea cannot be used to prove the offense in a civil case.

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