What is Disorderly Conduct in Michigan?

Grand Rapids has plenty of options for people who want to enjoy great nightlife. Thousands of people enjoy the many nightclubs, restaurants, and entertainment options available every week, and most do so responsibly. While the owners of these locations are constantly looking for new ways to draw people in, law enforcement in Grand Rapids is constantly in the busiest areas, looking for people who are engaging in misbehavior after enjoying the nightlife a little too much. 

It is important to understand that if police approach you, they may charge you with disorderly conduct or worse if you do not take the appropriate actions. A Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer can help you understand the charges you are facing, and how to avoid harsher charges that could result in stiffer penalties.

What is Disorderly Conduct in Michigan?

In Grand Rapids and throughout the rest of the state, disorderly conduct is defined as:

• Engaging in violence, fighting, or threatening behavior,
• Creating an unreasonable level of noise that causes alarm, disorder, danger, or nuisance to the public,
• Using abusive, threatening, or obscene language, or making an obscene gesture that breaches the peace or inflicts injury,
• Disrupts a gathering or lawful assembly without proper authority,
• Obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic,
• Consuming or possessing alcohol in a public place,
• Urinating in a public place, with the exception of public washrooms,
• Engaging in an unlawful business or occupation,
• Loitering in a place of prostitution, or a place where prostitution or lewdness is encouraged, allowed, or practiced,
• Loitering in or around a place where an unlawful business or occupation is being conducted,
• Roughly crowding or jostling people in a public space,
• Committing the offense of disorderly conduct and not dispersing upon the instructions of a law enforcement officer to do so,
• Being intoxicated in a public place, and
• Peeping into windows.

Anyone convicted of any of these offenses should know that this crime is not just a civil infraction. Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor offense and as such, it carries stiff penalties, including jail time in some cases.

What to Do if Approached by Law Enforcement

Many times, law enforcement will approach a disorderly person and simply issue a warning or ask them to leave the area. Disorderly conduct charges are typically only laid when the behavior of the accused does not rise to the level of a more serious crime. As such, it is crucial to remain calm and to cooperate with police. Failing to obey law enforcement officers can result in a much more serious charge, such as fleeing and eluding, or resisting and obstructing arrest. Both of these charges, and others that may follow a disorderly conduct charge, are very serious and will likely result in jail time for those convicted.

Facing Charges? Call Our Michigan Criminal Defense Lawyers Today

A charge of disorderly conduct may not sound serious, but the penalties for those convicted can be harsh. If you have been charged with disorderly conduct, or another related offense, our Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyers at Van Den Heuvel Law Office are here to help. Call us today or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys to learn more about how we can help.