The purpose of entering a no contest plea is often to avoid being sued civilly for essentially confessing to a crime, which is the basis of a guilty plea. ... Pleading no contest or nolo contendere means you admit no guilt for the crime, but the court can determine the punishment.

Which is better to plead guilty or no contest?

The most important time to use a no contest plea is when there is some damage associated with the charge, like an accident. If you ran a red light and hit someone and are charged with failure to obey a traffic control devise, a guilty plea and admission can be used in civil court to show fault for the accident.

Is it smart to plead no contest?

The benefit of a no-contest plea (when you admit the facts, but not your guilt) is that it allows you to avoid a trial if your defense has become hopeless, but it prevents the plea from being used against you in any later civil or criminal proceeding.