Nolo contendere (Latin for "I do not wish to contend"), also known as a no contest plea, is a legal option in US courts where a defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge but accepts the punishment as if guilty. It is often chosen when the cost of a trial outweighs the likely penalty, such as a fine or probation, and in federal court it requires the judge's consent. A key advantage is that, unlike a guilty plea, a nolo contendere conviction typically cannot be used to establish negligence or malice in later civil lawsuits, nor is it admissible as a hearsay admission. This distinguishes it from an Alford plea, where a defendant formally pleads guilty while declaring innocence, making that admission usable in civil suits. However, state rules vary—for instance, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that a no contest conviction can be used to estop a defendant in future civil actions.