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Disorderly Conduct - Disorderly Conduct Domestic

Wisconsin Disorderly Conduct Law

Under Wisconsin "disorderly conduct" statute 947.01, police are given a very vague and very broad authority to arrest people in both public and private places for any conduct that appears to be causing a disturbance or may have the potential to cause or provoke a disturbance after police leave the scene.

WI Statute 947.01: Disorderly Conduct. Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

Police arrest people for disorderly conduct by citing many types of behavior, even behavior which has not yet occured. Police can (and do) arrest people on the basis of a belief that the person will provoke others into disorderly conduct, that the person has been disorderly prior to police arriving at the scene, or even that a disturbance has or will result by a person's conduct.

Domestic disorderly conduct is an enhanced disorderly conduct charge subject to more severe penalties including loss of the right to bear arms (prohibiting a person from carrying or using a gun - even for hunting). Domestic disorderly conduct charges can be brought against any number of people who either currently have or previously had a domestic relationship. A domestic relationship includes living together in the same household, being related, or having had a child. See :: domestic disorderly conduct charges :: for more information on this charge.

Take Note - Disorderly Law Applies To Telephone Calls, Too!

Wisconsin's disorderly conduct law also applies to telephone calls if the call is placed with intent to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or even harass another person. Police arrest people every day under the vague disorderly conduct laws of Wisconsin. While they may ponder an arrest for conduct that incites some form of disorderly conduct in another person, they almost never hesitate when the provocation is by a group or upon a group of people. If a threat to inflict injury or physical harm upon another person or another person's property is made, an arrest is highly likely to occur.

Disorderly Conduct Applies To Computers and Internet Usage

Wisconsin law defines a message as a sign, signal, writing, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature whatsoever, which includes e-mail. Under Wisconsin law (WI Stat 947.0125), if a person sends a message to another person via e-mail or any other computer communication system and in that message threatens to inflict injury or physical harm to any person or any person's property, intends to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse or harass any person, or uses profanity, obscene materials, lewd, profane or suggestively lewd or profane language, whether or not the message is actually received, and whether or not the sender attempts to conceal his or her identity, the district attorney can bring charges for disorderly conduct or criminal harassment. A disorderly conduct conviction under this statute is a Class B misdemeanor.

If the intent was to do something lesser than the above, such as to harass, annoy or offend another person, then the sending of a message via email or any other communication system is a Class B forfeiture.

Disorderly Conduct Penalties If Convicted

A disorderly conduct conviction will subject a person to the penalties provided for a Class B misdemeanor, if any of the above situations exist. If the intent is to harass, then a court might impose fines on a convicted defendant. Although the alleged disorderly conduct may be directed towards a person or group of people, the law does not require a victim. However, if one or more victims exist, then the state may subpoena testimony at a court hearing.

Christopher T. Van Wagner and Tracey A. Wood, the founders of Van Wagner & Wood, devote themselves exclusively to helping people who have been accused, charged, or convicted of a crime or a drunken driving offense including disorderly conduct or disorderly conduct - domestic. If you have been arrested for or charged with disorderly conduct, please call (866-262-4599, locally 608-284-1200) or email the attorneys right away. [Contact Attorneys | Free Case Review]

Disorderly Conduct - Domestic Charge

A domestic disorderly conduct charge is a disorderly conduct charge with an enhancer equivalent to domestic violence. The "domestic" enhancer can be applied to any arrest in which one or more of the people involved have or have had a domestic relationship.

Under Wisconsin law, a domestic relationship is defined as one in which two people are or have been married to one another, two or more people are or have been living together in the same dwelling, or two or more people have or have had a child in common between them. The domestic status applies to both current and past relationships.

A disorderly conduct conviction can have long-term impact on a person's life, but a domestic disorderly condcut conviction is much more severe. If convicted of a domestic disorderly charge involving domestic abuse or violence, the conviction will be reported on CCAP, will appear on a background check to purchase a firearm, will prevent purchase of a firearm, can prevent employment in a nursing home or work with vulnerable adult, and will prevent employment in a childcare center. The handgun restriction will apply while the charge appears on the criminal record of the person convicted, during probation, and in some situations, even after probation. A domestic abuse restraining order will likely be ordered, or at minimum, suggested at the time of arrest, and the court will order the convicted person to surrender all firearms to police.

Domestic Dispute Police Response

Under Wisconsin law, police departments are required to create and maintain a policy for handling various types of police calls, including domestic disputes. In most counties, if police respond to a domestic disturbance, they will arrest at least one of the spouses and may arrest both spouses. The mandatory arrest provision was implemented several years ago to reduce serious domestic dispute violence.

Avoiding Bad Outcomes

While a disorderly conduct charge may seem trite in some situations, the effects that it can have on your future are not. In some situations, defendants receive alternative sentencing provisions which result in the charge being removed from the defendant's record upon completion of the terms. In other situations, charges have been dropped. And in the worse case scenario, defendants have been surprised by the court's reaction when they have defended themselves and received stiff penalties including jail time, fines, and probation. It is impossible to determine the possible outcomes without a initial consultation, and it is always impossible to make promises. But by placing your case into the hands of the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood, you will know that you have done all that you can possibly do to achieve the best possible outcome given the situation.

Free Initial Consultation

If you have been arrested for disorderly conduct or domestic disorderly conduct, please call (866-262-4599 or locally 284-1200) the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood, or submit information about your situation for a free case review. The sooner you act to circumvent the situation, the better your chances of a more favorable resolution.