Disorderly conduct criminalizes actions such as saying offensive things to cause a violent reaction, protesting at funerals, rioting, and falsely reporting a fire. From a policy perspective, these actions unreasonably disturb the community’s peace. In addition, disorderly conduct laws are subjective in their wording and application to real-world situations.
One may believe that Washington’s state law against disorderly conduct infringes on their federal constitutional rights to free speech under the First Amendment. Generally, these challenges have yet to be successful when argued.
In the State of Washington, disorderly conduct can occur in several ways. Although there may be other forms of disorderly conduct, the ways disorderly conduct typically occurs are below.
A disorderly conduct charge can have serious consequences. Usually, disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor, but under certain conditions, it can become a felony.
Typically, you could incur the following penalties if convicted:
While jail time is often short, it could last up to a year if convicted of a misdemeanor. First-time offenders will likely not see any jail time. The court will likely suspend the sentence and enter a time-served sentence. In this case, the time spent in jail will satisfy the court. Repeat offenders could get more time. If the offense is severe, you could spend a year in jail.
Fines for disorderly conduct could range from $25 up to $1,000 or more. Most jurisdictions levy penalties as opposed to jail time. Probation is also an option.
Probation is also a typical sentence for first-time offenders. For example, it is not uncommon for a person charged with disorderly conduct to receive several months of probation. However, the court could change the punishment to jail time if probation is violated.
If you are charged with disorderly conduct, you will need to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you make your case and give you the best chance of having the charges dropped.
Regardless of the degree charged the goal remains the same. We will help you avoid conviction for the criminal charge, but perhaps more importantly, keep you out of jail.
I have nothing but great things to say about Mr. Harbeson. His knowledge and experience was superb and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the outcome. I definitely recommend him. He will stand by your side and work hard to truly make the difference that counts in the court! Thanks again for everything, Michael Chavis – 5 Stars on Google My Business
I recently hired Michael for legal representation and cannot express enough how impressed I am with his professionalism and knowledge of the law. I was scared to say the least, but Michael calmed my fears and gave sound advice on what was my best recourse. Making a long story short, I took my case to trial and was found not guilty. Michael went to bat for me and we won. He is nothing short of awesome. And he does not charge you a million dollars either. He cares about his clients., Rebecca Roberts – 5 Stars on Google My Business