no contest
no contest. A criminal defendant’s plea that, while not admitting guilt, the defendant will not dispute the charge. • This plea is often preferable to a guilty plea, which can be used against the defendant in a later civil lawsuit. — Also termed no-contest plea; nolo contendere; non vult contendere. Cf. ALFORD PLEA. [Cases: Criminal Law 275. C.J.S. Criminal Law §§ 398–407, 417.]
