Hopewell Township Disorderly Conduct Lawyer
The Hopewell Township disorderly conduct attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are well versed in defending clients against disorderly conduct charges. Collectively, our team of professionals has decades of experience handling disorderly conduct cases involving improper behavior and/or the use of offensive language in public and we can help you develop your strongest possible defense strategy to the charges you are facing. Please contact us by calling 609–683–8102 to speak to one of our highly-skilled disorderly conduct lawyers in a free initial consultation about your situation.
Conduct That Results In Disorderly Conduct in Hopewell Township
Several different offenses fall under the umbrella of a disorderly conduct charge in New Jersey. In a nutshell, disorderly conduct is any behavior that is disruptive to the public. In more specific terms, N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 breaks down disorderly conduct into two categories: the use of offensive language in public and improper behavior or conduct in public.
When it comes to disorderly conduct based on the use of offensive language, a person can be charged if he or she loudly and publicly uses offensive language in a public place with the purpose of offending the sensibilities of those who hear them speak. Someone can also be charged with a disorderly conduct offense based on the use of offensive language when such language is used in reckless disregard of the probability of offending those who are around to hear it. The offensive language must be unreasonably loud and offensively coarse or abusive in nature. Language that is meant to disrupt the peace or is disturbing to the public who hears it is all too often considered offensive language for the purposes of disorderly conduct charges.
When it comes to disorderly conduct offenses based on improper behavior, a person can be charged with disorderly conduct if he or she, with the purpose of causing public inconvenience annoyance or alarm, engages in a fight or threatening behavior or acts in a violent or tumultuous way. Similarly, a person can be charged with disorderly conduct based on improper behavior by creating a physically dangerous condition or hazard that serves no legitimate purpose, i.e., endangering others in the public. Common examples of disorderly conduct based on improper behavior include:
- Yelling or making a scene in a public place,
- Engaging or encouraging rioting,
- Threatening people in the public for no reason,
- Creating an unjustifiable panic in a group of people in a public place,
- Creating incredibly loud noises that are disruptive to those who are located nearby,
- Engaging in fighting or attempting to provoke others to engage in fighting (regardless of whether the instigator is intoxicated under the influence of alcohol or drugs).
Anyone charged with disorderly conduct will find themselves required to attend a hearing at the Hopewell Township municipal court house. Disorderly conduct charges are a disorderly persons offense, which is a serious matter and there are steep consequences for a disorderly conduct conviction. But a skilled disorderly conduct criminal defense attorney in Hopewell Township will be able to help you try to get your charges downgraded or dropped entirely.
Hopewell Township, NJ Disorderly Conduct Lawyer
Having a knowledgeable disorderly conduct attorney by your side as you prepare to fight the disorderly conduct charges that have been pressed against you in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, can go a long way towards ensuring that you get fair treatment under the law.
You need a professional criminal defense attorney who has a proven track record in court representing cases just like yours. Please contact the professionals at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall by calling 609–683–8102 immediately. Attorneys are available 24/7 for free consultations.