A plea of no contest, where guilt is not admitted, is referred to as?

A plea of no contest is referred to as "nolo contendere." This legal term is used in criminal proceedings where the defendant neither disputes nor admits to the charges, effectively allowing the court to impose a sentence without an admission of guilt. This type of plea can be strategically beneficial, particularly because it cannot be used against the defendant in related civil lawsuits.

For example, if a defendant pleads nolo contendere to a criminal charge, they may avoid self-incrimination in subsequent civil litigation related to the same incident. This distinguishes it from a not guilty plea, which asserts the defendant's innocence, and from concepts like nolle prosequi, which pertains to a prosecutor's decision to discontinue a case, or habeas corpus, which is a legal action to determine the lawfulness of a person's detention or imprisonment. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for anyone navigating the legal system or studying criminal law.