What is the difference between a plea of not guilty and a plea of nolo contendere?

A plea of not guilty is a defendant’s response to criminal charges in which they deny committing the crime. When pleading not guilty, the defendant puts forth the presumption of innocence and forces the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are guilty of the crime. In contrast, a plea of nolo contendere is an admission of guilt in which a defendant agrees that the prosecution has enough evidence to prove their guilt in court. However, by opting for a nolo contendere, the defendant does not admit to any criminal conduct and does not agree to the facts of the case. Instead, they simply accept the punishment that comes with the plea. In Kansas, a plea of nolo contendere can be used in drug crimes law cases. Generally, when a defendant pleads nolo contendere, the court will still find them guilty of the crime and apply the punishments associated with the guilty plea. However, unlike a guilty plea, the nolo contendere plea cannot be used in a future case as an admission of guilt. Furthermore, in some cases, a nolo contendere plea may allow the defendant to avoid a criminal record and allows the court to consider alternative sentencing.

Related FAQs

What is the sentencing range for drug convictions?
What is drug diversion?
What are the requirements for a search warrant?
What are the consequences of a plea of guilty or no contest?
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony drug charge?
What is the difference between a plea bargain and a plea agreement?
What are the laws for possession of a drug paraphernalia?
What is the difference between a suspended sentence and probation?
What is the difference between a warrant and an arrest?
What are the penalties for drug crimes?

What is the difference between a plea of not guilty and a plea of nolo contendere?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts