There are three types of offenses with which you might be charged:

Infractions: An infraction carries a court cost and fine, as well as possible driver’s license and insurance points as the penalty. You cannot be sentenced to serve time in prison for an infraction.

Misdemeanors: A misdemeanor may require the payment of a court cost and fine with the possibility of a sentence of probation and/or imprisonment.

Felonies: A felony may require the payment of a court cost and fine with the possibility of a sentence of probation and/or imprisonment.

When you stand before the judge in court, the assistant district attorney will read the charges that have been made against you. You will be asked how you plead to your charges. If I am your attorney, I will answer for you and we will have talked at length about what we are doing.

You may plead in three different ways:

“Not guilty,” which means that you deny the charges against you or you want a trial.

“Guilty,” which means that you admit that the charges are true.

“Nolo contendere” (no contest), which means that you are not going to plead guilty, but you are willing to be sentenced as you would be if you were found guilty.

With a plea of “Guilty” or “No contest” to a misdemeanor, you will receive your punishment by the court that day.

If the charge against you is a felony, the District Court judge will give you another day to return to court because, with some limited exceptions, judges in Superior Court hear cases that are felonies.