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What Does It Mean to Receive a Suspended Sentence after Pleading “No Contest?”

If you are being charged with a crime and you believe there is no way to have your charges dismissed, one option is to plead down to a lesser charge. You do not even have to plead guilty and can choose to instead plead "no contest." However, it's important to understand how each of these decisions will affect your life.

Pleading No-Contest

A no-contest plea can be confusing. You are not admitting that you are guilty or denying it. However, you are agreeing that the facts related to your case are true. When you enter a plea of no contest, you will usually be able to avoid going to trial. If you are not sure whether you should plead no contest or not guilty, you should consult with your criminal lawyer.

Receiving a Suspended Sentence

If you plead no contest, you may then be able to receive a suspended sentence. In this case, you will be sentenced to jail time but the prison sentence will be suspended. This means that you will not have to go to prison as long as you meet certain conditions. If you comply with all of these conditions, your case will then be dismissed and you will not have to worry about being placed into custody for that particular charge.

If you have a suspended sentence, your conviction will still be on your criminal record. Therefore, if you do not want to have the crime on your record, your options are to plead not guilty and have your case dismissed or to have your records expunged in the future.

Following the Conditions Imposed with a Suspended Sentence

There are various conditions that the judge might impose after you have received a suspended sentence. For example, if you are charged with drug possession, the judge may allow you to have a suspended sentence if you agree to participate in drug rehab. If you fail to meet one of the requirements of your suspended sentence, the judge has the right to send you to jail at their discretion.

Whether or not you will receive a suspended sentence and whether or not you will face leniency when failing to fulfill the requirements of the suspended sentence depends on various factors including your past criminal history and the seriousness of your crimes. Therefore, if you work hard with a criminal attorney to have some of your charges reduced or dismissed, this can lead to a better outcome.