Is the plea status (guilty, nolo contendere, or finding of guilt after trial) required to be recorded in the docket when deferred disposition is granted?

• A. Yes.
• B. No.
• C. Only if there is a trial.
• D. Only if the defendant pleads guilty.

Answer: (A)

Recording plea status in the docket is required because the docket serves as the official record of how a case was resolved, including when a deferred disposition is granted. Even though the final outcome is deferred, the court still must document whether the defendant entered a guilty plea, pleaded nolo contendere, or there was a finding of guilt after trial. This creates a clear, auditable history of the proceedings and supports future actions tied to the deferred disposition, such as conditions, deadlines, or potential updates if conditions aren’t met.

This explains why the other ideas don’t fit: the requirement isn’t limited to cases with trials, and it isn’t limited to only guilty pleas. The plea status should be recorded whenever a deferred disposition is granted to accurately reflect how the case was resolved.