nolo contendere

noun

no·​lo con·​ten·​de·​re ˈnō-(ˌ)lō-kən-ˈten-də-rē 

: a plea in a criminal prosecution that without admitting guilt subjects the defendant to conviction but does not preclude denying the truth of the charges in a collateral proceeding

Examples of nolo contendere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The former president and business manager of the union local entered a plea of nolo contendere, which acknowledges that prosecutors had sufficient evidence to convict him without admitting guilt, to felony theft. —Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 20 Nov. 2024

So Thug pleaded nolo contendere to one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and a leadership count of criminal street gang activity, against the state’s objections. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

But the trial was canceled on Sept. 14, when Morris entered a nolo contendere (no contest) plea to a Class C charge and was ordered to pay a fine of $362 This story was originally published April 9, 2024, 4:38 PM. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2024

On March 26, 2023, Dustin Parra pleaded nolo contendere or no contest to negligent homicide, and Riddle got to question him on the stand. —David Begnaud, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2024

Inside the courtroom at his arraignment, Miller pleaded nolo contendere, or no contest, to two misdemeanor charges of vandalism and obstruction of a police officer. —Steph MacHado, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2023

On June 22, McNelis pleaded nolo contendere to firing in a compact area and received a three-year deferred sentence. —BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022

Brian Allsworth, 49, entered a plea of nolo contendere to first-degree child molestation at Providence County Superior Court, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Friday morning. —BostonGlobe.com, 29 Oct. 2021

Nicholas Dailey, 30, entered a plea of nolo contendere in Washington County Superior Court, to two counts of manufacture and possession of a ghost gun produced by a 3D printing process, the attorney general’s office announced Wednesday. —Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022

Word History

Etymology

Latin, I do not wish to contend

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

nolo contendere

noun

nolo con·​ten·​de·​re -kən-ˈten-də-rē, -rā 

: a plea by a defendant in a criminal prosecution that without admitting guilt subjects the defendant to conviction as in the case of a guilty plea but that does not bar denial of the truth of the charges in another proceeding (as a civil action based on the same acts)

called also no contest, non vult contendere

compare guilty, not guilty sense 1

Etymology

Latin, I do not wish to contend