Which of the following types of pleas is most similar to a guilty plea?

• A. Nolo contendere
• B. Innocent
• C. Not guilty
• D. Standing mute

Answer: (A)

A no contest plea is most like a guilty plea because it results in sentencing the same way, even though the defendant doesn’t admit guilt. In a no contest (nolo contendere) plea, the person consents to punishment just as if they had admitted guilt, so the court proceeds to sentencing without requiring a formal confession of guilt. This makes it functionally similar to a guilty plea in the criminal process.

Innocent or not guilty are outright defenses where the accused maintains they did not commit the crime and typically goes to trial to challenge the state’s evidence. Standing mute is a procedural option where the defendant declines to enter a plea, and the court may enter a not guilty plea on their behalf; that path is not about accepting punishment and therefore isn’t similar to a guilty plea.