A misdemeanor disorderly conduct in Madison, Wisconsin, carries a penalty of up to a $100,000 fine and/or 9 months in prison, and a felony disorderly conduct penalty could reach a $50,000 fine, up to 15 years in prison or both.
Disorderly Conduct Charges Madison office just off the Beltline
In Wisconsin, a disorderly conduct charge is a Class B misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail, a $1000 fine, or both. If your arrest is a result of unlawful assembly, this is a Class A misdemeanor and it comes with a maximum penalty of 9 months in jail, a $10,000 fine or both.
As a forfeiture violation, a disorderly conduct citation comes with an extra fine, but possibly no jail time. While you may think “just a ticket” is no big deal, these citations will show up in background checks throughout your life. Prosecutors have the discretion to charge your case as criminal or as a forfeiture based on the circumstances of your case. Grieve Law attorneys have had great success getting these citations dismissed.
Disorderly Conduct in Madison
It’s just a ticket, right? Wrong!
After an incident involving the police, many people who see disorderly conduct on their citation believe it’s a ticket and figure it’s no big deal. However, a disorderly conduct charge in Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee or anywhere else in Dane County can come with serious penalties.
Depending on the circumstances, it might be just a ticket, but it might also be a criminal offense that leads to your loss of firearm rights for life.
What is Disorderly Conduct?
According to Wisconsin statute 947.01, disorderly conduct is any behavior, whether public or private, that could provoke or disturb others.
Conduct that classifies as disorderly conduct includes:
- Fighting
- Profanity or hate speech
- Indecent behavior
- Talking unreasonably loud
- Unlawful assembly
- Anything that could provoke a disturbance
An experienced Grieve Law attorney can walk you through the complicated web of disorderly conduct definitions and how they’ll affect your case.
What If No One Was Disturbed?
A common misconception is that there's a victim involved in a disorderly conduct charge. This is inaccurate since, by definition, disorderly conduct is any action that could provoke a disturbance. For example, someone is yelling obscenities in a bank but they aren’t directing it at any patron or teller; this is a disorderly conduct violation because their behavior may lead to violent or verbal retaliation.
You are only a criminal if you are convicted™
If I Have a Concealed Carry Firearm Will I Be Charged With Disorderly Conduct?
In Wisconsin, it is legal to openly carry a firearm for protection. Unless that weapon was used with criminal or malicious intent, you cannot be charged with a disorderly conduct violation if you have the proper license. (Wis. Stat. Ann. § 947.01.)
Disorderly Conduct With a Domestic Violence Enhancer
If you are having a dispute with family, roommates, or a significant other, a domestic violence enhancer may be added to your disorderly conduct charge. This would jeopardize your right to own a firearm. The experienced attorneys at Grieve Law work strategically to keep your record clean so you can maintain your right to own a firearm.
In domestic violence situations, you will not be allowed to have contact with the other party involved for 72 hours. This is known as the “72 hour no contact provision”, which serves to protect both parties from any further harm as a result of a domestic violence situation. In addition, the prosecuting attorneys may call for a “no contact provision”, which is separate from the “72 hour no contact provision”. The “no contact provision” prohibits contact with the other person involved until your court date and violating it would result in bail jumping, which is a separate crime.
Madison Disorderly Conduct Attorneys Are Here to Help
A good criminal defense attorney will be able to build a defense to get your charges reduced or even dismissed. Tom Grieve has done this for hundreds of clients facing similar charges, first-offense DWIs, domestic violence, and more.
Contact our Madison Disorderly Conduct attorneys for a FREE phone consultation. Grieve Law attorneys have experience finding all the important information that gets you the best chance of having the charges against you reduced or dismissed.
How long will a disorderly conduct charge stay on your record in Madison?
A conviction of disorderly conduct will likely remain on your record for life. While expungement may be a possible way to remove the conviction from your record, there must be a very specific set of circumstances that make expunction difficult. The way to keep a clean record is to proceed forward with the best defense possible.
How to beat a disorderly conduct charge
A good criminal defense attorney will be able to construct a successful defense to get disorderly conduct and any enhancers reduced or even dismissed. Obtaining a knowledgeable attorney is the first step toward beating a disorderly conduct charge.
Contact a Madison criminal defense attorney to look into those legal issues and create the most successful defense possible. Grieve Law disorderly conduct attorneys will look deep into your case and be sure to pull out every piece of important information.
