Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Helps You Fight Disorderly Conduct Charges Throughout Atlantic City

Jersey Shore towns are hotbeds of activity and sites for a lot of rowdy parties during the summer. As a result, many college students as well as adults just wanting to have a good time end up behind bars, charged with disorderly conduct. If you are facing disorderly conduct charges regardless of the NJ location or the reason for the altercation, you need to hire a criminal defense lawyer who will explain your rights and act quickly to protect your interests.

Attorney John Tumelty, the founding partner of the Law Offices of John W. Tumelty, is a former state prosecutor and a former Atlantic County Prosecutor with 35 years of criminal defense law experience. Mr. Tumelty’s credentials as an Atlantic City criminal attorney are impressive. He is a New Jersey Supreme Court certified criminal trial attorney, one of a handful of all NJ attorneys to have earned this distinction. Additionally, Mr. Tumelty has local experience in Atlantic County and Cape May County courtrooms, which means that he has probably dealt with the prosecutor and the judge in the municipal court where you have to appear to fight your charges.

What Are the Consequences of a Disorderly Conduct Conviction in Atlantic City?

It might be hard to believe, but even excessively loud language can result in the filing of criminal charges against you. N.J.S.A. 2C:33-3 governs disorderly conduct offenses in New Jersey. In other states, these kinds of offenses are governed by “disturbing the peace” statutes. The NJ statute prohibits behavior in public places that people might find disturbing. There are two kinds of disorderly conduct that NJ law addresses:

• Improper behavior: The law prohibits actions that create a risk to public safety or that constitute a public annoyance. “Improper behavior” refers to any actions that cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm. Additionally, a person who acts recklessly or who creates a physically dangerous condition can be charged with disorderly conduct.
• Offensive speech: The use of offensive language in public is also prohibited under the statute. The statute prohibits unreasonably loud or offensive language in a public setting.

New Jersey law enforcement often relies on disorderly conduct as a sort of catch-all law that applies to any disruptive or alarming behavior in public. In fact, the police tend to use the disorderly conduct statute as a tool to control unruly individuals. Additionally, NJ prosecutors won’t hesitate to impose harsh punishments in disorderly conduct cases because public policy dictates that people have a right to feel safe and comfortable when walking the streets.

Since disorderly conduct is classified as a disorderly persons offense, offenders are subject to a sentence of up to six months in county jail. Additionally, disorderly conduct charges are often attached to other charges, such as resisting arrest, simple assault, and criminal trespass.

Let a Former Prosecutor Defend You Against Disorderly Conduct Charges in Atlantic City

If you’ve been arrested for disorderly conduct in Atlantic City, you need a qualified local attorney to take care of your case. An experienced criminal defense lawyer like John W. Tumelty can potentially get a disorderly conduct charge downgraded to a municipal ordinance violation. In some cases, it may even be possible to get the charges dismissed entirely.

Call or email Mr. Tumelty today to schedule a free consultation at one of his office locations in Atlantic County and Cape May County.