When a defendant pays a fine and court costs without sending in a plea, the payment constitutes a plea of nolo contendere and a written waiver of jury trial.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the defendant has not previously pleaded
• D. Only for certain offenses

Answer: (A)

Paying the fine and court costs without filing a formal plea signals that the defendant is choosing to resolve the charge without contest. In many jurisdictions, that action is treated as entering a plea of no contest (nolo contendere) and as a written waiver of the right to a jury trial. By accepting the punishment and forgoing a trial, the defendant effectively agrees to move forward without a jury, and the court can enter judgment based on the payment and any accompanying terms. This approach is a procedural way to close the case without a trial while not admitting guilt, which is the essence of a no contest plea. The outcome doesn’t hinge on whether the defendant has pleaded before or on the offense type; the act of paying in lieu of a plea is what creates the no contest plea and the waiver of jury trial. Therefore, the statement is true.