Legal Question in Criminal Law in Michigan

Re: does pleading

Pleading nolo contendere (or "no contest") results in a criminal conviction. I'm sure that your probation order says "don't violate any laws". So, any conviction (by trial, guilty plea or no contest plea) could be a violation of probation. In taking the plea, the judge should ask/warn you about that.

No contest pleas are appropriate for just 2 reasons: (1) you don't remember the facts/incident (maybe you were drunk), or (2) there's the possiblity of being sued for your criminal conduct, and your verbal guilty plea could be used against you in the suit. Those are the only reasons ... not to "just get it over with and not have to say 'I'm guilty'".