If you are facing disorderly conduct charges in Milwaukee, call Grieve Law's criminal defense attorneys for a free case consultation. A disorderly conduct charge in Milwaukee can be charged as a Class B misdemeanor or a non-criminal civil forfeiture violation. A civil forfeiture violation can be punished with a fine.
Although there is no potential for jail time, a civil forfeiture disorderly conduct citation can still have a significant impact on your life. Disorderly conduct can be charged when it is alleged that the defendant has acted in a manner that is violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly, and that behavior could have caused or provoked a disturbance under the circumstances.
Disorderly conduct is a very broad statute and can be charged for a lot of different reasons. For example, if you are in a store yelling obscenities, you can be charged with disorderly conduct even if you are not yelling at anyone in particular because your actions may lead to verbal retaliation. It may provoke a disturbance. Prosecutors have discretion to determine whether a disorderly conduct case is charged as a civil forfeiture violation or a criminal charge.
The circumstances of your case, your prior record, and your cooperation with police are all factors the prosecutor will consider when deciding whether to charge your case as a forfeiture or a criminal charge. Disorderly conduct can also be charged with a domestic abuse enhancer or modifier.
This happens with the parties involved have a domestic relationship. A domestic relationship exists between an adult and their roommates, family, spouse, or a person with whom they share a child in common. Often disorderly conduct charges with a domestic abuse enhancer arise out of an argument that other people overhear. For example, if you and your roommate get in a yelling match over paying the rent and your neighbor overhears, you could face disorderly conduct domestic abuse charges.
