If you’ve been charged with disorderly conduct Maryland, you may wonder what comes next. This is a common misdemeanor charge, but that doesn’t mean it’s not severe.
A conviction for disorderly conduct can stay on your record for years and can impact your future job prospects, among other things.
This blog post will discuss what disorderly conduct is in Maryland and what you can do to fight the charge. Read to the end and get a free criminal case consultation.
Table of Contents
What Makes You Guilty of Disorderly Conduct Maryland?
Md. Code ยง 10-201 defines what disorderly conduct is. There are five ways the police can try to convict you for disorderly conduct Maryland. They are:
(1) A person may not willfully and without lawful purpose obstruct or hinder the free passage of another in a public place or on a public conveyance.
(2) A person may not willfully act in a disorderly manner that disturbs the public peace.
(3) A person may not willfully fail to obey a reasonable and lawful order that a law enforcement officer makes to prevent a disturbance to the public peace.
(4) A person who enters the land or premises of another, whether an owner or lessee, or a beach adjacent to residential riparian property, may not willfully:
(i) disturb the peace of persons on the land, premises, or beach by making an unreasonably loud noise; or
(ii) act in a disorderly manner.
(5) A person from any location may not, by making an unreasonably loud noise, willfully disturb the peace of another:
(i) on the other’s land or premises;
(ii) in a public place; or
(iii) on a public conveyance.
If the police can prove any of these things, you may have a disorderly conduct conviction on your record.
How Can You Fight a Disorderly Conduct Maryland Charge?
Being arrested for disorderly conduct does not mean you will be convicted of the crime. Our attorneys, Justin Eisele and Mirriam Z. Seddiq, are here to raise reasonable doubt on your behalf. For example, you may establish that:
- The prosecutor cannot prove its case against you
- You were exercising your right to free speech
- Your actions were not directed at any specific person or people
- You lacked the intent to commit the crime.
Every case is different, and a good Maryland criminal defense lawyer will walk you through every step of the way to prepare defenses customized to your situation.
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