Disorderly conduct tickets: How do they show up on my record?
Disorderly conduct is a catch-all offense. It’s pretty simple to prove. The exact wording of the law is straightforward: Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud other otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. See Wis. Stat. sec. 947.01.
So, you did something disorderly, and it caused a disturbance. Pretty simple.
But disorderly conduct doesn’t always need to be charged as a Class B misdemeanor. Sometimes police simply issue a ticket (ordinance violation, municipal violation, civil forfeiture – these words are all synonymous). Sometimes police tell you to pay the fine and move on. You don’t need to go to court, so don’t worry about it.
But, is that the best advice?
Of course it isn’t. First of all, if you pay the fine and move on, you’re convicted.
Second, depending upon your municipality and the law enforcement agency involved, your ticket could end up on CCAP. Unfortunately, CCAP has become an unofficial, easy, free, background check for employers. In seconds, a potential employer, college, or date can find a record that indicates you were cited for disorderly conduct. A criminal defense attorney may be able to mitigate the damage done on CCAP.
Third, the fact of the arrest may show up on official background checks. This is especially the case if you were fingerprinted or a mugshot was taken of you. What is provided on your background check will stick with you for the rest of your life. While you may see the disorderly conduct citation as a little fine, there’s a chance it will stick with you for the rest of your life. It’s best that you hire a defense attorney now to take care of it.
Contact Van Severen Law Office today if you’re seeking disorderly conduct citation representation
Our criminal defense attorneys have worked on disorderly conduct citations before. We’ve gotten them dismissed, reduced, and have resolved them in nearly every other conceivable way. We’ve defended them at jury trial. And, most importantly, criminal defense lawyer Ben Van Severen has beaten disorderly conduct charges at trial. If you’re looking to hire a top Milwaukee criminal defense attorney for help, contact us at (414) 270-0202.