A defendant involved in a collision who pleads nolo contendere to the traffic charge may have the plea held against him in a civil suit.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the judge approves
• D. It depends on the state

Answer: (B)

Nolo contendere means you don’t contest the charges, but you aren’t admitting guilt. In criminal court, it resolves the case for sentencing without an explicit admission of fault. In a related civil case, liability is based on fault and admissible evidence of wrongdoing, and a no contest plea is not treated as an admission of fault. Because it is not an admission of guilt, it is typically not admissible as proof of liability in a civil suit arising from the same incident. The civil case can still proceed on its own evidence without relying on the criminal plea.