NOLO is a legal term that stands for 'nolo contendere, ' which is Latin for 'I do not wish to contend.' It is a PLEA that can be entered in a criminal court, and it is similar to a guilty PLEA in that it results in a conviction. However, the defendant does not admit guilt and cannot use the PLEA as an admission of guilt in any other proceedings. NOLO pleas are often used when a defendant wishes to avoid a trial or when the evidence against them is overwhelming.