Pleading guilty means that a defendant admits to having committed the crime.

• A. It does not necessarily mean admission
• B. True
• C. The judge decides
• D. It depends on the plea type

Answer: (B)

When someone pleads guilty, the defining idea is an explicit admission of guilt by the defendant. Saying “guilty” in court is the formal acknowledgment that the person committed the charged crime, which moves the case from trial to sentencing rather than having a trial to determine guilt. This admission is the core effect of a guilty plea, often within a plea agreement that also addresses rights and facts, but the key point remains: the defendant is admitting responsibility for the offense.

That’s why this choice is best. The judge doesn’t determine guilt from the plea itself; the defendant’s admission is what clears the path to sentencing, not a separate judgment of guilt at that moment. And while other pleas exist (such as no contest) that carry different implications, the phrase “pleading guilty” specifically centers on an admission of guilt, so this statement holds true.