Disorderly Conduct in Colorado
Disorderly Conduct – C.R.S. 18-9-106
There are several ways a person can be charged with disorderly conduct in Jefferson, Adams, Douglas, Denver or any of the other 64 counties in Colorado. A person can be arrested for disorderly conduct if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly does any of the following:
1) Makes a coarse and obviously offensive utterance, gesture or display in a public place and it is intended to incite an immediate breach of the peace. (C.R.S. 18-9-106(a))
2) Makes unreasonable noise in a public place or near a private residence that he or she has no right to occupy. (C.R.S. 18-9-106(c))
3) Fights with another in a public place (exceptions apply for sporting events and the like). (C.R.S. 18-9-106(d))
4) Discharges a firearm in a public place (exceptions apply for peace officers and other lawful activities). (C.R.S. 18-9-106(e))
5) Displays a firearm or 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. (C.R.S. 18-9-106(f))
Classes of Disorderly Conduct Charges
In most cases, an offense under item one or two above is considered a petty offense, as well as an offense under item three. If found guilty under items four or five, the conviction will result in the most serious of the disorderly conduct violations, a misdemeanor. There are even more serious felony charges that look very similar to items four and five, such as C.R.S. 18-12-107.5, illegal discharge of a firearm; or C.R.S. 18-3-206, menacing. It is not uncommon for prosecutors to file the more severe charges initially, in hopes of scaring a defendant into taking a plea deal to a lesser offense. This gives a prosecutor in El Paso, Weld, or Clear Creek County the opportunity to receive credit for a conviction without having to prove anything in a court of law. Prosecutors are highly motivated by the number of convictions they are able to achieve.
If you are charged with disorderly conduct or one of the more serious related felonies, you need to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney. The attorneys at Sawyer Legal Group have extensive experience in the Denver metro area, as well as Colorado’s eastern counties such as Morgan, Yuma, and Washington. Our advice is the same in Montrose, Delta, and Mesa County: “Be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and call us at 303-731-0719. Together we can protect your future.”