Nolo contendere (Latin: "I do not wish to contest") is a criminal plea in which a defendant neither admits nor disputes the charges. In standard civil proceedings, it generally cannot be used as an admission of guilt. For California notary purposes, however, Government Code §8214.1(b) explicitly states that a conviction following a nolo contendere plea is deemed a conviction.
The practical effect: a notary who enters a nolo contendere plea to a felony or to an offense involving moral turpitude faces the same risk of commission denial, suspension, or revocation as someone who pleaded guilty or was found guilty at trial. The "no contest" language provides no protection in the notary disciplinary context.
Exam Tip: A notary cannot preserve their commission by arguing that a nolo contendere plea "wasn't an admission of guilt." California notary law closes that door explicitly. Exam questions on this topic often present a scenario where a notary entered a nolo plea thinking it would protect their commission — the correct answer is that it does not.
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