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A disorderly conduct charge can come from a night out, a sporting event, a protest, a neighborhood argument, or a tense encounter with police. It’s often treated as a minor charge, but a conviction still creates a criminal record that can show up on background checks for jobs, housing, and school. Disorderly conduct in Indiana covers recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally engaging in fighting or tumultuous conduct, making unreasonable noise and continuing after being asked to stop, or disrupting a lawful assembly of people.
Disorderly conduct is generally a Class B misdemeanor, carrying up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to 1,000 dollars. It’s frequently charged alongside other offenses, like public intoxication, resisting law enforcement, or battery, which can raise the stakes of what started as a minor incident. For students, a disorderly conduct charge can also lead to discipline at school, and for professionals, it can raise questions with licensing boards or employers.
These cases often turn on the specific behavior and the setting. The defense may focus on whether the conduct actually met the definition, such as whether noise was truly unreasonable for the time and place, whether the person was asked to stop, or whether they were fighting or simply involved in an argument. Free speech protections can also play a role. Indiana courts have overturned disorderly conduct convictions when the noise or speech involved was political expression rather than disruptive conduct. Video from phones, businesses, and body cameras often shows a more complete picture than the police report.
At RileyCate, we defend disorderly conduct charges with the goal of keeping a conviction off your record, whether through dismissal, diversion, or trial. If your case also involves alcohol, our Public Intoxication page explains how that charge works.
Even a misdemeanor deserves a real defense, and prosecutors take a different approach when they know the defense is ready to go to trial. Will Riley and Russell Cate lead our criminal defense team. Russell Cate has more than 19 years of experience and has been selected as a Super Lawyer since 2013, and Will Riley’s Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and AV Preeminent recognition reflects the kind of trial-tested credibility that carries weight with prosecutors and judges alike.
Will and Russell personally oversee every case we take on, staffing it with the attorneys, associates, and staff the matter calls for based on its size and complexity, so you get responsive, informed representation from the outset.
Nobody plans to need a lawyer. When something goes wrong, what you need first is someone who will listen, tell you honestly where you stand, and take the next steps off your plate. That is how every case at RileyCate, LLC begins.
We represent individuals, families, and small businesses across Fishers, Indianapolis, and surrounding counties in personal injury and complex litigation, business and real estate disputes, criminal defense, and appeals.
Will Riley and Russell Cate personally oversee every matter, staffing each case to its size and complexity. Both are recognized as Super Lawyers and have argued before the Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Will also holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer designation.
We are trial-tested, not just settlement-focused. We have tried hundreds of cases, because insurance companies, opposing businesses, and prosecutors negotiate differently with a firm willing to go the distance.
If you’ve been charged with disorderly conduct, there may be options to resolve the case without a conviction. We offer a consultation to review the charges and explain your options. Reach out to RileyCate today to speak with a defense attorney.
