Disorderly Conduct in Illinois: 3 Things You Need to Know

Disorderly conduct, in Illinois, is a criminal charge – and it’s one that could land you in jail. Here are three things you need to know.

Disorderly Conduct in Illinois: 3 Things You Need to Know

Disorderly conduct can be a misdemeanor or a felony. A lot of people refer to it as a “catch-all” charge, because really, there are a lot of things that the police can funnel into this category.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. What crimes count as disorderly conduct in Illinois?
2. What does the law say?
3. What are the penalties for disorderly conduct?

What Crimes Count as Disorderly Conduct in Illinois?

Fighting in public, yelling as you walk down the street, setting off sprinklers in a public building or pulling a fire alarm when there’s no fire can all fall into the disorderly conduct category. In fact, there’s a long list of actions that could qualify as disorderly conduct, such as:

• Making a false report of a crime
• Calling in a bomb threat
• Making a false report of a fire
• Verbally harassing others in a public space
• Making a false report about an abused or neglected child
• Making a false report to the Department of Public Health
• Going on someone else’s property to look inside their home for a lewd (or otherwise unlawful) purpose

This list isn’t complete, either. There’s a reason people call it a “catch-all” charge – and that’s because anything that violates the statute (see the following section for the exact text of the law) can fall into this category.

Related: Disorderly conduct charges in Skokie

What Does Illinois Law Say About Disorderly Conduct?

Here’s what the statute says:

“A person commits disorderly conduct when he or she knowingly does any act in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace.”

Related: Disorderly conduct charges in Chicago: Now what?

What Happens if You’re Convicted of Disorderly Conduct in Illinois?

If the court convicts you of disorderly conduct, you’re looking at a misdemeanor or a felony. Depending on the severity of the crime, here are the possible penalties:

No two cases are the same, which is why you should talk to your disorderly conduct attorney about the specific circumstances in your case. He or she will be able to build a strategy that gets you the best possible outcome.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About a Disorderly Conduct Charge in Illinois?

If you’ve been charged with disorderly conduct in Illinois – particularly in Chicago, Skokie or Rolling Meadows, we may be able to help you.

Call us right now at 847-920-4540 or fill out the form below to get your free consultation. Tell us what happened so we can start building a defense strategy that gets you the best possible outcome.