Pleading "no contest" to a criminal charge means you do not admit fault. Neither are you trying to fight for your innocence in a criminal trial.There is a little edge in pleading no contest or "nolo contendere" rather than pleading guilty to a crime. It is important to understand that saying "no contest" is not the same as saying "not guilty. A no contest plea is similar to a guilty plea. When you plead no contest, you technically admit that you are guilty of the crime being charged. A plea in which the defendant does not contest the charge. If you plead "GUILTY": You are admitting that you committed the offense. The types of pleas you may offer in response to the charge(s) against you are: guilty, not guilty, and under certain circumstances, no contest. It means that you aren't contesting the charges against you.