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

He was also charged with disorderly conduct and alcohol intoxication in public and drinking alcohol in a public place. —Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2024

Jalo was processed and released on the disorderly conduct and criminal damage charges while the FBI continued its investigation into his alleged online communications. —Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 23 Oct. 2024

She was additionally charged with four misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct and possession of THC, drug paraphernalia, and illegally obtained prescription drugs. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2024

An Illinois appeals court affirmed his disorderly conduct conviction and jail sentence in a 2-1 opinion from the Illinois Appellate Court in December 2023. —Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 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.