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.A no contest plea will be treated as a guilty plea, and they'll ask if you understand that. Pleading no contest means you are not affirming guilt, but you do not want to go to trial. You will be required to enter a plea of guilty or no contest and an alternative sentence will be deferred. If you plead not guilty, your case will go to trial. If you plead either guilty or no contest, you will proceed to sentencing. No Contest: You neither admit nor deny the violation(s). This plea is treated the same as a guilty plea. Guilty means the defendant admits to the crime.