Can I Plead “Nolo Contendere”?
The eligibility rules for the use of a nolo plea for non-residents are now the same as for residents. A nolo contendere plea will not “save” a Georgia license for any arrests made July 1, 1997 or after. The individual judge decides whether he/she will accept a nolo plea. Any person who has a BAC test of over 0.15 cannot plead nolo. Any person under age 21 who was stopped July 1, 1997 or after and charged with DUI is totally ineligible. Before July 1, 1997, drivers under age 18 were ineligible. In addition, for persons licensed by a state other than Georgia, a nolo contendere plea generally will not “save” your license, absent some special law in your home state that permits this. Upon receiving a report of a DUI conviction in Georgia, the home state will routinely suspend or revoke the person’s license in their home state. So, a nolo contendere plea for licensees of states other than Georgia is generally no better than a guilty verdict at trial, or a plea of guilty. This puts a premium
