Houston Disorderly Conduct Defense Attorney

Charged with Disorderly Conduct?

Disorderly conduct covers a wide range of offensive conduct where two or more persons are involved. The police usually arrive after the occurrence but may charge a suspect where located in a "suspicious place and under circumstances which reasonably show" that the crime was committed. The charge is usually a Class C misdemeanor for which the penalty is a fine of up to $500. Where the charge involves discharging a firearm, it is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail. Though the penalties themselves are not heavy, a conviction does go on a person's criminal record and can affect future school, employment and housing applications. If you have been arrested for disorderly conduct, you are urged to contact a criminal defense lawyer in Houston for strong defense.

Disorderly Conduct Charges

Some of the bases for a disorderly conduct charge include:

• Abusive or indecent language or offensive gesture in a public place tending to incite an immediate breach of the peace
• Abusing or threatening a person in public place in an obviously offensive manner
• Making unreasonable noise in a public place or near a private dwelling he has no right to occupy
• Fighting with another in a public place
• Discharging a firearm in a public place or across a road
• Indecent exposure in a public place
• For a lewd or unlawful purpose looking into private dwellings, guest rooms, public restrooms or shower stalls designed to afford privacy.

Our legal team at Stradley, Chernoff & Alford, are a seasoned law firm in Houston defending clients charged with disorderly conduct. Three of our partners are board-certified criminal lawyers. When we take on a case, we interview the client to learn the circumstances of the offense and to develop defenses. We contact the prosecutor and explain the matter from the client's perspective and urge that the charges be dropped. At trial we vigorously present our defenses. Any abusive conduct could be based on significant provocation. In the case of looking into private places, the defense is absence of a lewd or unlawful purpose. We are accomplished at defending clients from criminal charges and have gained many acquittals and dismissals.

Contact a Houston Disorderly Conduct Attorney at the firm for a free consultation.