Disorderly conduct is usually a violation that occurs when someone is being disruptive in public, but it can also result in more serious charges later on. What’s more, penalties still apply and a disorderly conduct charge may impact your job prospects.
So, how bad is disorderly conduct on your record? The short answer is that it’s not a great thing to have on your record, but a lot of it comes down to the type of crime, when it happened, and much more. Read on to learn more.
What Is Disorderly Conduct?
Disorderly conduct is exactly what it sounds like, someone misbehaving, usually in public, but the severity of that misbehaving depends on the specific case and charges. Usually, the charges for disorderly conduct cases have to do with crimes that disturb the peace in public, so it’s not something that you usually get in trouble for doing yourself. In fact, you’ll find that many states even define it as disturbing the peace.
Essentially, they tend to occur in public spaces where many people, or at least multiple people, are involved. If someone is disrupting the safety or order of such a space, it can be filed as disorderly conduct.
What Are Examples of Disorderly Conduct?
There isn’t just one single law that outlines disorderly conduct. Instead, it’s a group of crimes that are handled the same way, albeit with different levels of severity. Some examples of disorderly conduct include:
● Fighting or threatening people in public spaces
● Shouting, screaming, yelling, or making unreasonable amounts of noise
● Using foul language or abusive language
● Disturbing lawful meetings, gatherings, or public assemblies
● Messing with the flow of traffic as a pedestrian
These are only some examples of disorderly conduct and there are a lot more instances out there depending on the state you reside in.
What Type of Crime Is Disorderly Conduct?
The type of charge that results from disorderly conduct depends on where you live. However, in most states, it’s handled as a violation.
This means that it won’t result in a criminal record. While it may not result in a criminal record, disorderly conduct may still have penalties. For example, people may have to spend time in jail or pay a fine.
Does Disorderly Conduct Show Up on Your Record?
Yes and no. Some states will partially seal the results of a disorderly conduct charge but other states will not. What’s more, records may be partially sealed but there may still be a record of it that potential employers, schools, and even landlords can see. For this reason, you need to check with your state laws and regulations about how these infractions are handled.
Does Disorderly Conduct Show Up on a Background Check?
Unfortunately, the answer is that it depends. It depends on where you’re located, what you’re applying for, and the depth of the background check. Most criminal background checks will only look for misdemeanors and felonies, so in states where a disorderly conduct charge is a violation, you have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if it’s anything more than a violation it will likely show up on a background check.
That said, landlords may have a vested interest in these records, so they may run their own public records check to see if you have any sex offender violations, disorderly conducts, or public indecency charges. Educational institutions may also look for them if they’re publicly available, and an FBI-level background check will definitely reveal information – even if it was only a violation.
How Long Does Disorderly Conduct Stay on Your Record?
Typically, disorderly conduct will remain on your record for around five to seven years depending on your state and the severity of the crime. If it’s a violation, however, it may come off your record much sooner. Even if it does stay on your record, the good news is that most states have a look-back period that prevents them from using records that are more than five to seven years old anyway.
How Bad Is Disorderly Conduct on Your Record?
Disorderly conduct is one of the more tame things that can show up during a background check, so it’s not usually a deal-breaker.
That said, it can impact your job search, so it’s important to be open if you know you have it on your record. Thankfully, it’s a lot less harmful than most misdemeanors and felonies, especially in a state where it’s only a violation.
Check Your Records for Disorderly Conduct Today!
Want to be sure that you have nothing to worry about? Make sure you check your criminal records before applying for an apartment, educational institution, or job to ensure that you know what you’re getting into.
Not only will this help you know how to answer questions on an application, but it can help you determine how much information you have to share about something. Therefore, it never hurts to run your information through a public records search tool like Information.com’s criminal records search that will show you everything that’s hiding in your records.
