Legal Definitions - disorderly person

A disorderly person refers to an individual whose actions violate public peace, order, decency, or safety, as specifically defined by local laws or statutes. While often associated with the offense of disorderly conduct, the precise behaviors that qualify someone as a disorderly person can vary depending on the jurisdiction's specific legal definitions.

Essentially, it describes someone whose conduct creates a disturbance or disruption in a public setting, or in a way that negatively impacts the community's general well-being and tranquility.

• Example 1: Public Disturbance

  Imagine a person standing on a busy street corner late at night, repeatedly shouting obscenities and banging on trash cans, causing significant noise and disturbing residents trying to sleep. Despite warnings from neighbors, they continue their disruptive behavior.

  Explanation: This individual's actions breach public peace and decency by creating an excessive disturbance in a residential area during quiet hours. Their persistent and disruptive behavior would likely qualify them as a disorderly person under local ordinances designed to prevent such nuisances.

• Example 2: Disruption of a Public Event

  Consider an individual attending a community concert in a public park. They become heavily intoxicated, start pushing other attendees, and then climb onto the stage, interrupting the performance and refusing to leave despite requests from event staff and security.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the person's behavior breaches public order and safety by disrupting a planned event, endangering other attendees, and refusing to comply with lawful requests. Their actions demonstrate a clear disregard for the peace and safety of the public gathering, making them a disorderly person.

• Example 3: Obstruction of Public Access

  During rush hour, a person intentionally lies down across the entrance to a subway station, blocking commuters from entering or exiting. They refuse to move, causing a significant backlog of people and delaying public transportation services.

  Explanation: This individual's actions directly breach public order and safety by obstructing a critical public thoroughfare and essential service. Their refusal to move creates a hazard and disrupts the normal flow of public life, fitting the definition of a disorderly person whose conduct impedes public access and safety.