If you have been criminally charged with Disorderly Conduct in Fort Collins, Colorado, you will need to hire a top criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. In Colorado, disturbing the peace can result in petty offense or misdemeanor charges. In either case, you could be facing hundreds of dollars in fines and up to several months in the Larimer County Jail. For that reason, it is essential that you contact a top criminal defense lawyer to represent you at the Larimer County Courts.
1. Legal Definition of Disorderly Conduct, C.R.S. 18-9-106 at the Larimer County Courts
At the Larimer County Courts, the legal definition of Disorderly Conduct, C.R.S. 18-9-106, is as follows:
(a) Makes a coarse and obviously offensive utterance, gesture, or display in a public place and the utterance, gesture, or display tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace; or
(c) Makes unreasonable noise in a public place or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy; or
(d) Fights with another in a public place except in an amateur or professional contest of athletic skill; or
(e) Not being a peace officer, discharges a firearm in a public place except when engaged in lawful target practice or hunting or the ritual discharge of blank ammunition cartridges as an attendee at a funeral for a deceased person who was a veteran of the armed forces of the United States; or
(f) Not being a peace officer, displays a real or simulated firearm, displays any article used or fashioned in a manner to cause a person to reasonably believe that the article is a firearm, or represents verbally or otherwise that he or she is armed with a firearm in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm and does alarm another person.
In essence, Disorderly Conduct is charged for any disturbance of public peace, especially if it evokes alarm or fear. Publicly fighting, making “unreasonable noise,” and shooting a gun are all acts that can result in criminal charges.
2. Examples of Disorderly Conduct in Fort Collins
Examples of Disorderly Conduct in Fort Collins include the following scenarios:
- Two friends are drunk as they leave a bar in Old Town, and they get in a fight on the sidewalk outside.
- A Colorado State University student plays loud music from a speaker while riding her bike from one part of campus to another.
- A man driving on College Ave. is rear ended by another driver. When the two drivers pull over to talk, the man gets upset and pulls his gun on the other driver. He is charged with both Disorderly Conduct and felony Menacing.
3. Penalties for Disturbing the Peace in Loveland and Estes Park
Disturbing the Peace can be a petty offense or misdemeanor in Loveland and Estes Park, with specific penalties depending on the act that resulted in criminal charges. See the outline below for sentences for each act of Disorderly Conduct:
Action |
Classification |
Maximum Penalties |
|
Class 1 misdemeanor / M1 |
|
| Displaying a real or simulated firearm, or verbally representing that you are armed with a firearm in a manner calculated to alarm another person | Class 2 misdemeanor / M2 |
|
|
Petty offense |
|
Disorderly Conduct is a minor charge relative to other crimes. However, one of the most significant dangers of this offense is that it is often charged alongside other crimes. It is not difficult to be charged with both Disorderly Conduct and Menacing, Prohibited Use of Weapons, or Harassment. When this is the case, the penalties will increase significantly.
Have you been charged with Disorderly Conduct? First, exercise your right to remain silent, and do not talk to the Fort Collins Police. Then call 970-658-0007 to discuss your charges with a top criminal defense lawyer at the O’Malley Law Office today. Together, we can protect your future.
The location for the Larimer County Courthouse is 201 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. We’ll see you there!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio