nolo-contendere
Meaning: A plea in criminal proceedings by which the defendant neither admits nor disputes the charge, accepting conviction without formally acknowledging guilt.
Though nolo contendere is primarily a feature of the American legal system, it is widely understood in British legal scholarship and comparative law. The plea has the same immediate effect as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes, but it cannot be used as an admission of liability in subsequent civil proceedings. This makes it tactically attractive where parallel civil litigation is anticipated. In British legal writing, the term typically appears in discussions of comparative criminal procedure or international law. It collocates with 'plea of,' 'entered a plea of,' and 'no contest.'
Examples
- The textbook explained that a plea of nolo contendere allows a defendant to accept punishment without conceding the factual basis of the charge. 教科书解释说,不争辩答辩允许被告在不承认指控事实基础的情况下接受处罚。El manual explicaba que la declaración de nolo contendere permite al acusado aceptar el castigo sin conceder la base fáctica de la acusación.教科書は、不争辩答弁により被告人は告訴の事実的根拠を認めることなく処罰を受け入れることができると説明していた。교과서는 불항쟁 답변을 통해 피고인이 기소의 사실적 근거를 인정하지 않고도 처벌을 받아들일 수 있다고 설명했다.
- British law students studying comparative criminal procedure must understand how nolo contendere differs from a standard guilty plea. 学习比较刑事诉讼法的英国法学生必须理解不争辩答辩与标准认罪答辩的区别。Los estudiantes británicos de derecho que cursan procedimiento penal comparado deben comprender en qué se diferencia el nolo contendere de una declaración de culpabilidad estándar.比較刑事訴訟法を学ぶイギリスの法学生は、不争辩答弁が通常の有罪答弁とどう異なるかを理解しなければならない。비교 형사소송법을 공부하는 영국 법학도들은 불항쟁 답변이 일반적인 유죄 답변과 어떻게 다른지를 이해해야 한다.
- The executive entered a plea of nolo contendere to the antitrust charges, avoiding a formal admission that could be used in the pending civil action. 该高管对反垄断指控作出了不争辩答辩,避免了可能在待决民事诉讼中被利用的正式承认。El ejecutivo formuló una declaración de nolo contendere ante los cargos de competencia desleal, evitando una admisión formal que pudiera utilizarse en la acción civil pendiente.その幹部は独占禁止法違反の起訴に対して不争辩答弁を行い、係属中の民事訴訟で利用されうる正式な認容を回避した。그 임원은 반독점법 위반 기소에 대해 불항쟁 답변을 하여, 계류 중인 민사 소송에서 이용될 수 있는 공식적인 시인을 회피했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin nolo contendere (I do not wish to contend). The phrase has been used in Anglo-American legal contexts since the 18th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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