When you go out with your friends, you want to have a good time. You know that you and others can get loud now and then, but you never set out to intentionally bother other people who may simply be trying to enjoy their nights out as well. Of course, your good time could become bothersome to others, and if the situation gets out of hand, it is possible that someone could call law enforcement.
You may think it over the top for someone to call the police for a bit of noise, but disturbing the peace is a crime. Additionally, some instances may go beyond a bit of noise. Unfortunately for you, this could mean that you wind up facing criminal charges even though you only wanted to have a good time.
When can your good time bother others?
Many actions could fall into the category of disturbing the peace, and some of them do not necessarily involve you and your friends having a night out on the town. Some examples of actions that could disturb the peace include:
- Holding an unlawful public assembly
- Bullying a student on or near school property
- Intentionally playing loud music at night, especially if you have already received a warning to turn it down
- Trying to incite violence or other unlawful activity by shouting in a public place
- Fighting in public or challenging someone to a fight in public
- Shouting profanities at a person’s home for an extended length of time
- Shouting profanities or other offensive words in attempts to cause violence
- Purposefully trying to annoy others by knocking on their doors when they are sleeping
- Allowing excessive dog barking in a residential area
Playing music, shouting at one another and maybe even roughhousing could all play parts in your gatherings with friends from time to time. If it gets out of hand and others feel disturbed, you could wind up in a serious situation.
What can you do?
Fortunately, even if you do face a charge of disturbing the peace, you have rights and options for handling the situation. In order to fully understand the allegations you face and your possible defense options, you may want to work with a Connecticut criminal defense attorney. Facing any type of criminal charge can be difficult, and having support is typically useful.
