DC Disorderly Conduct Lawyer
An arrest and a criminal charge for disorderly conduct in Washington, D.C. might not seem like a very serious issue. While there are worse crimes out there that a person could be charged with, a disorderly conduct conviction could carry penalties that may include fines and even jail time. This could put a mark on your criminal background that is difficult to overcome.
Hiring a DC disorderly conduct lawyer to be at your side if you are facing these charges in the District of Columbia could ensure that your rights and your interests are being protected. With an accomplished defense attorney’s help, you could challenge the evidence that is being presented against you and raise effective legal defenses that throw doubt on the prosecutor’s case.
Disorderly Conduct Law in the District of Columbia
Similar to most other states in America, disorderly conduct is considered a crime in the District of Columbia. The law in D.C. covers a wide range of conduct and is vague enough that it could be used by police officers to make an arrest when it is not justified.
D.C. Code Ann. § 22-1321, the statute that prohibits disorderly conduct, defines it as any one of the following activities if it occurs in “any place open to the general public,” or in a common area of a multi-unit residence:
- Putting another person in reasonable fear for their person or property
- Inciting violence when it is likely to ensue
- Using offensive language that is likely to immediately provoke violence
- Disrupting a lawful public gathering or the conduct of business
- Being unreasonably loud between and 7 a.m.
- Public urination or defecation
- Peering into the window of a residence, even if it is unoccupied at the time
- Excessively jostling someone else in public, or placing a hand near their wallet
This range of conduct is so broad that it could be left up to a police officer’s discretion as to whether to make an arrest or not.
Penalties for Disorderly Conduct
Disorderly conduct in Washington, D.C. is a misdemeanor. A conviction carries a potential penalty of up to 90 days in jail, up to $500 in fines, and probation and a period of community service.
A charge for disorderly conduct could come with other criminal charges. This could include public intoxication, inciting a riot, or assault and battery. This could notably be likely if an individual was hurt.
A conviction for disorderly conduct may likely be put a blemish on a person’s criminal background that could be found years after the incident. This could make it more difficult to get a job, an apartment, or government assistance. The penalties can lead to long-term ramifications, which is why it is important for defendants to reach out to a DC disorderly conduct lawyer.
Legal Defenses to a Charge of Disorderly Conduct
An accusation of disorderly conduct in the District of Columbia is not a conviction. A disorderly conduct attorney in Washington D.C. could raise a handful of defenses and objections to the prosecutor’s case. If successful, these defenses may drastically reduce the penalties, lead to a plea deal, or win an outright acquittal or force the prosecutor to drop the charges.
One of the main defenses to a charge of disorderly conduct could be to simply challenge the arresting officer’s rendition of what happened. The arresting police officer’s testimony about what was happening before the arrest could be the prosecutor’s central piece of evidence. Pointing out inconsistencies with the officer’s story may throw enough doubt into the case that it gets dismissed.
A Washington D.C. Disorderly Conduct Attorney Could Help
If you have been charged with disorderly conduct in the District of Columbia, the first things that you do could make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. Talking with police or with prosecutors without a lawyer could give them the evidence that they need to convict you on disorderly conduct charges and to potentially file new charges against you.
Hiring a DC disorderly conduct lawyer may be one of the best things that you could do to protect your rights and interests.
