Clark County NV "Disorderly Conduct" Laws
(CCO 12.33.010)
Las Vegas Criminal Defense Attorneys
Aside from traffic tickets, one of the least serious crimes you can be charged with in Clark County, Nevada, is the offense of "disorderly conduct." But it does potentially carry jail time and will mar your criminal record, causing prospective employers to pass you over for a job.
If you've been cited for "disorderly conduct" in or around Las Vegas, then keep reading to learn about the law, penalties, and how our Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers may be able to get your charge dismissed. Call us for a free consultation at 702-DEFENSE (702-333-3673) today.
Definition
The legal definition of "disorderly conduct" in Clark County, Nevada makes it unlawful for anyone to:
- Participate in a fight;
- Challenge another person to fight;
- Use profane, indecent or obscene language in addressing another person;
- Commit a breach of the peace;
- Incite a disturbance;
- Interfere with, annoy, accost or harass any other person which conduct by its nature would tend to incite a disturbance.
Therefore, disorderly conduct is a very vague, "catch-all" offense that police slap on anyone they believe is causing a disturbance or may incite a fight. People are sometimes arrested and booked for it, but more often the cop will merely issue a citation along with a date to go to court and answer to the charges.
The most common places where people get cited with disorderly conduct in Nevada include casinos, bars, on the Strip, and at protests or rallies. Your attorney may be able to fight your disorderly conduct charge by bringing in eyewitnesses or surveillance video of the alleged incident or else by showing that the state has insufficient evidence to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Penalties (CCO 1.08.010)
A violation of Clark County disorderly conduct law is a misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying:
- up to six months in jail, and/or
- up to $1,000 in fines
Plea Bargains
If you have a clean criminal record when you get cited for disorderly conduct in Clark County, it's very common for the D.A. to agree to dismiss the charge after you pay a few hundred dollars in fines and/or perform community service. It's rare for the judge to order jail time unless violence resulted.
And because disorderly conduct is such a minor offense, often more serious charges such as simple battery in Nevada can be negotiated down to disorderly conduct. If you decide to plea to disorderly conduct, your criminal record can then be sealed after only two years from the time your case is closed. (Learn more about sealing criminal records in Nevada.)
Accused of a crime? We'll fight for you . . . .
Ignoring a citation for disorderly conduct in Las Vegas (CCO 12.33.010) can result in jail time, fines, and will sully your criminal record. If you're facing charges, phone our Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers at 702-DEFENSE (702-333-3673) to discuss for free how we can try to minimize the penalties and even get the case dropped.
