Is it better to plead no contest or not guilty for a speeding ticket?

You should always plead no contest, if you can. A no contest plea mean that you do not contest the charges. The court still finds you guilty, but the conviction can't be used against you in a civil lawsuit. For example, if you are in a car accident and get cited, you would want to plead no contest to the citation.

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No Contest Vs Guilty In Fairfax

Category:

Letters - Legal - Pleadings

State:

Multi-State

County:

Fairfax

Control #:

US-0018LTR

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This form is a sample letter in Word format covering the subject matter of the title of the form.

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FAQ

You admit to the allegation. No contest means that you do not admit to actually committing the allegation, you merely admit that the State can produce sufficient evidence for you to be found guilty. In general, no contest is the better way to go, but it probably wouldn't make much difference in your situation.

Not Guilty You can later decide to change your plea to guilty or no contest if you wish. If you plead not guilty you will have a pretrial conference to try to settle your case. There is no penalty for pleading not guilty. Your sentence will not be more severe or less severe based merely on how you plead.

Always plead not guilty. If you plead guilty you are asking for points/higher fines. Never do that. You will receive a summons to traffic court and your driving abstract will be reviewed.

By maintaining a not guilty plea, you retain the leverage needed to negotiate a more favorable plea agreement. This could result in lesser charges, reduced sentences, or alternative sentencing options that might not be available if you initially plead guilty.

A guilty plea is an affirmative admission of guilt. A no contest plea is not. Therefore if there are possible civil liability ramifications, such as responsibility for an auto accident, its better to plea no contest, if possible.

If a judge has not yet accepted a guilty plea, the defendant likely can withdraw the plea. They also may be able to withdraw a plea if the judge has not yet sentenced them. However, a defendant may face difficulties in withdrawing a plea once the judge has sentenced them.

The motion to withdraw a plea can be done at the discretion of the judge. This motion can typically be filed before the sentencing hearing if you are able to obtain legal representation in time.

You should always plead no contest, if you can. A no contest plea mean that you do not contest the charges. The court still finds you guilty, but the conviction can't be used against you in a civil lawsuit. For example, if you are in a car accident and get cited, you would want to plead no contest to the citation.

Both misdemeanor and felony convictions remain on your record indefinitely. A no-contest plea will result in a permanent criminal record for both types of offenses unless you successfully petition for expungement or an order of nondisclosure (sealing).

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You want to try and speak with the Commonwealth's Attorney BEFORE the hearings start. They may allow you to lower it during that conversation.You may want to plead no contest if you will be sued in a civil lawsuit. In Virginia, this is more typically called a no contest plea. This has the same effect as a guilty plea. Fairfax judging for sentencing can be helped along for the defendant with a sentencing memorandum that persuasively addresses the four main goals of sentencing. Cases are filed at the Civil Division Clerk's Office, Room 211. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I also know that pleading guilty typically is the point of no return once the judge accepts the guilty plea. Pleading no contest is an alternative to a guilty or not guilty plea. But this is not the case in Virginia.

No Contest Vs Guilty In Fairfax

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