Petty theft charge, i plead no contest, does this means i'm convicted?

Criminal Defense 4 views 2 answers
I had my arraingment today. I plead 'no contest' to my petty theft charge. Everything happened so fast there at the court and i just wanna understand everything. The DA gave me an option to be in probation for 6 months. Then I will have to do 40 hours of community service, pay $25 every month during probation period and do the Class which will take 8 hours. On the red sheet of paper that they gave me that after i've done all of these, the case will be dismissed and expunged for a fee of $100... Am I convicted? I'm so sorry if i sound so stupid, i just dont know what's gonna happen after the probation. Will i say yes if somebody ask me if i've been convicted of a misdemeanor crime?

Attorney Answers

2
teven ZalewskiChapter 7 Bankruptcy AttorneyKew Gardens, NY ·
No contest does not mean not guilty. so you are found by the court to be guilty. The good news is it seems that after you meet the conditions they setforth you can have the conviction vacated and the record erased. i am sure one of the attorneys on will chime in with amore particular answer
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James Lawrence ·
A no contest plea is a statement by the defendant that he does not contest the prosecutor's charges against him, and is willing to accept a conviction for the crime. It differs from a guilty plea only that in a guilty plea the defendant must personally admit he was guilty, while in a no contest plea the defendant is not required to make that personal admission. In all other ways, a no contest plea is identical to a guilty plea. If you have a deal for some sort of delayed disposition, you complete the probation successfully, and then you will not have a criminal record arising out of this case. This might require a motion filed with the court after probation is completed. However, if you are charged with committing a violation of the terms of probation, then you will have a hearing. If you are found guilty or responsible, then you will likely suffer additional punishment, including possibly prison or jail, fines, lengthier or more onerous conditions of probation, and an entry of a criminal conviction against you. I am not an Oklahoma attorney, but in most states what you describe would not be a conviction until and unless the judge enters a judgment of conviction, which he would not do unless you were charged with and found guilty of a violation of the rules of probation.
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