Legal Question in Traffic Law in New Mexico

Re: How to plea

A guilty plea admits the elements of the charge(s), waives [gives up] all constitutional rights, and subjects one to immediate imposition of legal penalities. It may also be used as an admission in a civil proceeding, and arises often in auto crashes. If one pleads guilty to speeding, and there is a wreck, the guilty plea may be used as an admission against interest in a civil proceeding for money damages for injuries received in the wreck. A no contest plea avoids the civil admission [it is not an admission against interests] and may not be used as an admission in the civil case. Otherwise, there is no difference between the two.