Literally a confession, but in the modern sense also an acknowledgement. It led immediately to the enforcement proceeding instead of a sentence according to the principle that the confessing party should be considered as having been sentenced: confessus pro iudicato habetur (est) (Dig. 42,2,1; 3; 6; Cod. Iust. 7,59,1). However, there were exceptions:
1) In criminal proceedings a defendant confessing to certain grave crimes (e.g., crimen laesae maiestatis: the most famous case being Jesus before Pilate, Mk 15,2ff.) was treated as sentenced. All th…