Disorderly Conduct

Under the Florida Statute 877.03, if a person commits an act that corrupts the public morals, outrages a sense of public decency, affects the peace and quiet of other people in their vicinity, or engages in a fight, then they have engaged in conduct that constitutes a breach of the peace or disorderly conduct.  Some other examples may include loitering, obstructing traffic, or the use of extremely obscene or abusive language in public. Florida law enforcement uses the threat of the offense of disorderly conduct, also known as breach of the peace, to regulate the behavior of individuals in public areas. Any public act that is considered to be corrupting public morals or violate the reasonable standards of public decency may be considered disorderly conduct. Law enforcement agencies are sometimes quick to arrest for disorderly conduct, even if the behavior in question probably isn’t a reasonably arrestable offense; this is where an experienced criminal attorney comes in.

How Serious is Disorderly Conduct?

If you have been arrested for engaging in a bar fight, hosting a loud party, getting into an argument with a partner, then you may have been arrested for breach of the peace or disorderly conduct; it is important that you contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to fight for your rights. Depending on the severity of the charge, penalties will vary. In Florida, disorderly conduct or a breach of the peace constitutes a second-degree misdemeanor.  A conviction for this offense may result in jail time up to twelve months and/or fines up to $1,000.  A public fight is often charged as a first-degree misdemeanor and inciting a riot may be a third degree felony; these will result in harsher penalties if convicted.

Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Attorney

Broward criminal lawyer, Kenneth Padowitz, exclusively represents those individuals accused of crimes at both the State and Federal level. At Kenneth Padowitz, P.A., our specialty is on high-stakes and high-profile cases; we do welcome lower charges such as disorderly conduct and will use our extensive experience to aggressively defend your freedom. If you or someone you know has been charged with disorderly conduct, call our Fort Lauderdale based law firm to discuss this important matter. We handle a variety of cases throughout South Florida, including: Fort Lauderdale, Weston, Parkland, Miami, Palm Beach, and Coral Springs.