Insights Into How Our Legal System Works

What You Should Know About Disorderly Conduct Crimes

29 January 2015 by Yolanda Lane

When it comes to criminal cases, one of the more common ones has to do with disorderly conduct. While this isn't a major case, it is something you can get arrested for. From causing a public disturbance to being intoxicated in public, you are interrupting the general public and that is a reason to be arrested. Here is more information about these types of crimes and what the legal ramifications are.

Disorderly Conduct Defined

Disorderly conduct is the charge used when you are disturbing the public in any sort of manner. This can be a disruptive behavior in public, such as making loud noises, getting into a physical altercation in front of a business, or doing or saying something offensive. Anything that interrupts the general public or gets in the way of their enjoyment, can often be considered disorderly conduct. While people often consider alcohol-related crimes to be disorderly conduct, there are other things that also fall within this category. Loitering and any way of disturbing the peace is also disorderly conduct.

Public Intoxication

A more specific type of disorderly conduct is public intoxication. In some states, this is included in the general disorderly conduct crime, but others have it as a separate crime. Many states in the U.S. have a law against being intoxicated in public, which could cause you to get arrested. This includes being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol in public. In many cases, you are only arrested for this crime if you are intoxicated and causing a disturbance due to the intoxication, but in some cases simply showing you are intoxicated is a reason to get arrested.

Consequences From These Crimes

If you get either a disorderly conduct or a public intoxication charge, it will be considered a misdemeanor. This means it is not a major crime, but still one that may require some jail time. The situations surrounding your offense determine if you need jail time or not. You may also need to pay fines to the court, perform community service, or attend mandatory alcohol counseling programs. The consequences you face after a disorderly conduct charge may also vary based on your history of these or other crimes. If you have a history of misdemeanors, the judge might be stricter with your charge and give you up to a year of jail time.

If you have been arrested for disorderly conduct, contact a criminal defense attorney.

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