New Jersey Disorderly Conduct – NJSA 2c:33-2
Disorderly conduct is a charge in which police arrest someone for disturbing the public order. Actions that can result in a charge of disorderly conduct include, a person engaging in fighting, threatening, violence, or creating a hazardous or physically dangerous condition by an act which serves no legitimate purpose.
If police believe an individual’s actions or behavior pose a danger to public safety or to another person, they may charge that person with disorderly conduct in order to restore order.
These acts must be committed with the purpose to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly create a risk of any of these. “Public” means affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to which the public or a substantial group has access. This includes highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places of business or amusement, or any neighborhood.
The prosecutor must prove that there was a public inconvenience. Therefore, people other than a police officer must witness it and the behavior must be aggressive or threatening.
Consequences of a Disorderly Conduct Charge
Disorderly conduct convictions can result in serious fines, loss of a driver’s license or professional license and can leave a permanent mark on your criminal record, affecting employment opportunities. A person convicted of disorderly conduct may face a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail. If a motor vehicle was used while committing the offense, the court may suspend the defendant’s driver’s license for up to two years. If you are charged with disorderly conduct, you should seek legal advice from a New Jersey criminal defense attorney immediately.
Call the Law Firm of Richard Huizenga at (732) 500-4688 for a free consultation.