no contest plea...?

Question

Are you better off pleading no contest or not guilty? Which is better and why?

Situation:
Arrested and charged with posssion with intent in Georgia. Also charged with pills not in proper container (had prescription for pills) ....any advice would help my arraignment is on Tuesday!!

posession with intent was marijuana...also if the cops weighed the alleged marijuana in the bags....will that be grounds to have the evidence dismissed due to the proper amount was not accurate?

Answer 1

no contest is basicly a guilty plea where they can't use the conviction against you in civil court. Unless you have a plea agreement for sentence there is no reason for it.

Also you can plead not guilty and then always change your plea if you work out some agreement with the DA.

The pot will be sent to the state crime lab ( unless it was in Atlanta which has thier own lab) and it will take 4 to 8 months to get the final results back. The lab will also do an official weight. The initial weight is only for the orginal charges, which can be motified after the final evidence is submitted from the lab.

so you can expect months from the time you plead to the time you actually go to court.

Best bet get an attorney.

Answer 2

In most jurisdictions, a no contest please is legally the equivalent of a guilty plea, so I would respectfully disagree with Fr. Chuck.

If you plead guilty or no contest, you are convicted and sentenced and usually this is done in accordance with a plea bargain. If you plead not guilty, then you are preserving your right to fight the charges and go to trial. Of course, you can always negotiate a plea deal and change your plea at a later time.

Answer 3

Hey! That's a pretty good answer for a clergyman. :)

I studied Crim. law and don't have much to add. Nice going.