Rule 3.986.Pleas of Admission or No Contest
Subchapter 3.900 — Proceedings Involving Juveniles · Last verified September 5, 2026
Full Text of Rule 3.986
Plain-English Summary
MCR 3.986 is short, and every sentence in it is a gate. A minor's admission ends the fact dispute in a contempt case, so the rule surrounds the plea with checks on the court's side, the family's side, and the timing of withdrawal.
The court's consent and the three findings
Subrule (A) does two things at once. A minor may offer a plea of admission or of no contest to the violation of a minor personal protection order with the consent of the court, which means the plea is an offer rather than an entitlement. And the court shall not accept the plea unless it is satisfied the plea is accurate, voluntary, and understanding. Those three words carry the weight of the rule. Accuracy asks whether there is a factual basis for the violation. Voluntariness asks whether the choice was the minor's own. Understanding asks whether the minor grasped what was being given up.
Preserving an issue
Subrule (B) allows a qualified plea. The court may accept a plea of admission or of no contest conditioned on preservation of an issue for appellate review. A respondent who wants to test a ruling on appeal is therefore not forced to choose between a contested hearing and losing the issue, so long as the court accepts the plea on that condition.
The family's voice on the record
Subrule (C) brings the adults into it. The court shall inquire of the parents, guardian, custodian, or guardian ad litem whether there is any reason the court should not accept the plea the minor has tendered. If that person is present, their agreement or objection must be placed on the record. The rule does not give them a veto. It gives them a question they must be asked and an answer the record must show, which leaves a reviewing court able to see whether an objection was raised and how the trial court handled it.
Withdrawal turns on acceptance
Subrule (D) fixes a clear dividing line. The court may take a plea of admission or of no contest under advisement. Before the court accepts the plea, the minor may withdraw the plea offer by right, with no showing required and no discretion for the court to refuse. After the court accepts a plea, withdrawal moves into the court's discretion. Acceptance is the moment that matters, and a plea taken under advisement has not yet crossed it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a minor have a right to plead to a violation?
No. Subrule (A) says a minor may offer a plea of admission or of no contest with the consent of the court, and the court shall not accept a plea unless satisfied it is accurate, voluntary, and understanding.
What must the court find before accepting the plea?
That the plea is accurate, voluntary, and understanding. All three are required by subrule (A).
Can a plea preserve an issue for appeal?
Yes. Subrule (B) permits the court to accept a plea of admission or of no contest conditioned on preservation of an issue for appellate review.
What part do the parents or guardian play?
Under subrule (C) the court must ask the parents, guardian, custodian, or guardian ad litem whether there is any reason not to accept the plea, and any agreement or objection by a person who is present must be placed on the record.
Can the minor take the plea back?
Before the court accepts it, yes, by right. After the court accepts it, withdrawal is within the court's discretion. Subrule (D) also lets the court take a plea under advisement, which leaves the by-right withdrawal window open.