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If you are charged with committing a crime in Alaska you have three options. You can enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. This article explores these options.

If you want to contest the charge against you, you can enter a plea of not guilty and request a trial date. If you don't want to contest the charge, you can plead either guilty or no contest.

In the criminal matter, both pleas of guilty and no contest normally carry the same consequence. The court will sentence you as if you plead guilty. However, there may be significant advantages of entering a plea of no contest should other events occur.

For example, if you are in an auto accident and are given a citation for running a red light, your guilty plea in a criminal case could later be used against you in a civil action by an injured party to prove that you ran the red light. However, it is possible that a no contest plea may not be used against you later to prove that you were at fault in the civil case.

It may be best to discuss your alternatives with an attorney before deciding how to best proceed. The law office of Pradell and Associates provides low cost legal consultations regarding criminal law matters as well as family law, (including divorce and custody), personal injury, and estate planning. Attorneys can recommend a course of action which can assist you in resolving your case. Give Pradell and Associates a call today, at (907) 279-4529. Articles on Alaska law are accessible on the Internet at: Http://www.alaska.net/~pradell. Steven Pradell is the author of The Alaska Family Law Handbook, which is available in bookstores or by calling the law office.

Steven Pradell is an Anchorage attorney with a practice emphasizing family law, including divorce, custody, domestic violence, adoption, and child support. He is the author of The Alaska Family Law Handbook, which is available in local bookstores and can be obtained by calling (907) 279-4529. ©1999 by Steven Pradell. This article is not intended to provide legal advice and should not be relied on for that purpose. The law office of Pradell and Associates provides low cost legal consultations. A helpful staff provides prompt, courteous services to meet your legal needs. Give Pradell and Associates a call today, at (907) 279-4529-- (279-4LAW).