disorderly conduct

noun

: a petty offense chiefly against public order and decency that falls short of an indictable misdemeanor

Examples of disorderly conduct in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Initial charges dropped before grand jury indictment In March 2019, a Cook County grand jury indicted Smollett on 16 counts of disorderly conduct. —Megan Thomas, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024

Hatch also pleaded to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct in a separate case. —Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024

Eddie Caldwell, 53, was charged last week with battery to a school district officer, a felony, and disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. —Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024

The Elizabethtown resident was convicted in March on several counts, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and disruptive conduct in a restricted building. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 15 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

disorderly conduct

noun

dis·​or·​der·​ly conduct

: conduct that is likely to lead to a disturbance of the public peace or that offends public decency

also : the petty offense of engaging in disorderly conduct compare breach of the peace

Note: The term disorderly conduct is used in statutes to identify various acts against the public peace. It has been held to include the use of obscene language in public, the blocking of public ways, and the making of threats. A statute must identify acts that constitute disorderly conduct with sufficient clarity in order to avoid being held unconstitutional because of vagueness.