Pleas

Under our American system of justice, all persons are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. On a plea of not guilty, a formal trial is held. As in all criminal trials, the state is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt, of the offense charged in the complaint, before a defendant can be found guilty by a judge or jury.

Plea Types

Your decision concerning which plea to enter is very important. Please consider each plea carefully before making a decision. If you plead guilty or nolo contendere in open court, you should be prepared to pay the fine and court costs. You should contact the court regarding how to make a payment.

Plea of Guilty

By a plea of guilty, you admit that the act is prohibited by law, that you committed the act as charged, and that you have no defense or excuse for your act. Before entering your plea of guilty, however, you should understand the following:
  • A plea of guilty may be used against you later in a civil suit if there was a traffic accident. In other words, another party can say you were at fault or responsible for the accident because you pled guilty to the traffic charge
  • The state has the burden of proving that you violated the law
  • You have the right to hear the state’s evidence and to require the state to prove you violated the law

Plea of Nolo Contendere or No Contest

A plea of nolo contendere means that you do not contest the state’s charge against you. You will almost certainly be found guilty, unless you are eligible and successfully complete a driving safety course and/or court-ordered probation. A plea of nolo contendere cannot be used against you in a subsequent civil suit for damages.

Plea of Not Guilty

A plea of not guilty means you are informing the court that you deny guilt or that you have a defense in your case, and that the state must prove what it has charged against you. If you plead not guilty, you will need to decide whether or not to hire an attorney to represent you.