When a defendant neither admits or denies a crime?

When a defendant neither admits nor denies a crime, they typically enter a plea of "nolo contendere," or no contest. This plea means they do not contest the charges but also do not admit guilt, allowing the court to proceed with sentencing as if they had been found guilty. This can be advantageous in some cases, as it may prevent the plea from being used as an admission of guilt in any subsequent civil litigation. However, the consequences of a no contest plea are generally the same as those of a guilty plea.