Salt Lake City Disorderly Conduct Attorneys

As your Salt Lake City disorderly conduct defense lawyer, you can be confident that we’ll use our years of experience and representation of thousands of clients to fight the charges against you.

It’s normal to be stressed, frustrated, and even confused by your disorderly conduct charge.

If your conduct is “mild,” the prosecutor may even dismiss the case. Interpretation of Utah’s law and a strong defense can frequently reduce your charges. Often, one or multiple charges accompany the disorderly conduct charge.

We know that a disorderly conduct charge is often a bargaining chip in your case and the other charges can be lessened while your disorderly conduct remains.

At Conyers & Nix, we’ll:

• Discuss your case details with you
• Challenge the charges against you
• Fight for you

Contact Conyers & Nix to discuss your case with a defense attorney.

What is Disorderly Conduct in Utah?

Utah Code § 76-9-102 outlines the state’s laws defining what constitutes disorderly conduct:

• Disobeying law enforcement in a public place where you’re asked to leave
• Fighting
• Making unreasonable noise
• Traffic obstruction
• Creating a risk of public inconvenience

If you are unruly or disruptive in a public place, it may be considered disorderly conduct.

For example, you may be charged with disorderly conduct if you sit in the middle of an intersection, refuse to move, and disrupt traffic in the process. Fighting in public can also result in disorderly conduct charges, but you’ll likely face assault charges, too.

You’ll face fines and maybe imprisonment, but the charge is minor.

What Are the Penalties and Consequences of a Disorderly Conduct Charge in Utah?

Under Utah law, disorderly conduct can be charged as a class C, B or A misdemeanor. Often, it is charged as a simple infraction that is lower than a misdemeanor. Although the consequences are less severe than felony charges, they can still impact your life and freedom.

If disorderly conduct is charged as an infraction, you face a fine of up to $750.

However, the charges can be escalated to a class C misdemeanor if you were asked to stop the conduct and continue to do so anyway. A class C misdemeanor carries penalties of up to 3 months in jail and fines of up to $750.

If you were previously convicted of disorderly conduct within the last five years, the charge will be upgraded to a class B misdemeanor. In this case, you face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

If you were convicted of this crime more than twice within a five-year period, the charges become a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail, and fines of up to $1,000.

Although the penalties may appear minor, it’s in your best interest to hire a Salt Lake City disorderly conduct defense lawyer. A lawyer can negotiate and fight to have your charges reduced or dismissed entirely.

How Long Does Disorderly Conduct Stay on Your Record?

A disorderly conduct conviction can stay on your record for many years or permanently in some cases if you do not take action.

Under Utah’s Clean Slate law, some types of offenses are automatically expunged after a certain period of time. These include:

• Class B misdemeanors after six years from the date of adjudication
• Class C misdemeanors after five years from the date of adjudication

A class A misdemeanor may be cleared from your record through a petition-based process. You can also use this process for expunging class B and C misdemeanors from your record.

Because disorderly conduct is charged as a misdemeanor, you can likely have it removed from your record automatically or with the help of a lawyer.

In the meantime, the conviction will remain on your record and can affect your life in many ways. Avoiding a conviction or fighting to lower the charges can help reduce the impact. An attorney can help you fight for the best possible outcome and potentially have the charges reduced or dismissed.

Could A Disorderly Conduct Charge Affect Your Employment?

A criminal conviction can remain on your record for many years or even permanently. Depending on the crime, it may also show up on background checks conducted by employers.

Generally, employers are most concerned about serious crimes like felonies. However, there is a chance that disorderly conduct charges on your record could affect your employment.

There are a few ways to address this issue. A conviction for a crime like disorderly conduct can likely be expunged in as few as three to five years. A Salt Lake City disorderly conduct defense lawyer can assist with this step.

At Conyers & Nix, we can also help our clients by providing employment letters to explain the charges.

Although every criminal charge should be taken seriously, disorderly conduct is a “lesser” criminal act and is unlikely to affect your employment in the way a felony would impact it.

Defending Against Disorderly Conduct Charges

Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor or infraction, so the charges against you are “less” serious than they could be. If, however, you are found guilty, it could impact your life. Common defenses include:

• Private setting. We may be able to show that you had an expectation of privacy that was reasonable at the time of the conduct in question. If we can prove this, the charges may be dismissed.
• Freedom of speech: You have freedom of speech as granted in the Constitution, but that doesn’t mean that you can incite others or become threatening. We may be able to show that you didn’t cause disorderly conduct through your actions.

If your charges stem from a fight, a solid defense is that you didn’t intend to cause a disruption, and you were only acting in your own self-defense.

We’ll work to build a solid defense on your behalf that can prove your innocence.

Why Is Hiring an Attorney for Your Disorderly Conduct Charges the Right Decision?

When faced with any criminal charge, no matter how minor it may appear to be, it’s important to consult with an attorney as early on as possible. The sooner your attorney can start building your defense, the greater the chances of a more favorable outcome in your case.

A Salt Lake City disorderly conduct defense lawyer can:

• Work to build a strong defense for your case
• Negotiate to reduce the charges or have them dismissed
• Advocate for your rights
• Advise you on the best course of action to take in your case

At Conyers & Nix, we fight for our clients every step of the way. During our initial consultation, we will listen without judgment to get all the facts and start laying the foundation for your defense strategy.

For more than a decade, we have been defending clients in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas against criminal charges.

We understand that you may be feeling overwhelmed and anxious about your future. We’ll leverage our years of experience to build a solid defense and protect your rights.

Contact us today to discuss the details of your case and how we can assist you.