Disorderly Conduct
Legal Definition
A person commits disorderly conduct by engaging in violent, seriously disruptive, or threatening behavior in a public place, or by using abusive or obscene language in a public place that is inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent response. The statute also prohibits knowingly obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or refusing to obey a lawful order to disperse. The offense is aimed at conduct that disturbs the peace or creates a risk of public alarm.
Possible Punishment
Up to 6 months in county jail and a fine up to $500.
Local Context
Disorderly conduct is a commonly charged public-order offense. The statute requires that the conduct occur in a public place and that it be objectively disruptive or threatening, not merely offensive. Speech alone is protected unless it constitutes 'fighting words' likely to provoke immediate violence.
Public-Order Cases in Doña Ana County
Disorderly conduct, resisting or obstructing an officer, and giving false identification are classic add-on charges: they frequently ride along with something else in a booking rather than standing alone. Most are petty misdemeanors, the lowest tier of New Mexico offenses, with maximum exposure measured in months rather than years.
Because these charges often arise from chaotic street encounters, how a person behaves during the arrest matters enormously. Resisting is a separate crime even when the underlying stop goes nowhere, which is why knowing your rights, and asserting them calmly, is the practical advice every attorney gives.
Related Guides
Your Rights When Arrested in New Mexico: Silence, Searches, and Counsel
What Miranda actually requires, when you must identify yourself, search consent rules, and why you should never resist arrest or talk on recorded jail calls.
Misdemeanor vs. Felony in New Mexico: Sentences, Courts, and Consequences
How New Mexico separates petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and felony degrees: sentence ranges, jail vs. prison, habitual enhancements, and collateral costs.
Recent Arrests for This Charge (10)
Las Cruces Man, 22, Booked on Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Charges
JACOB PALOMINO | 2 charges
Las Cruces Man, 47, Booked on Disorderly Conduct Charge
ELEE SILVA | 1 charge
Las Cruces Man, 47, Charged with Disorderly Conduct
ELEE SILVA | 1 charge
Las Cruces Man, 36, Charged with Disorderly Conduct
OMAR FLORES | 1 charge
Las Cruces Man, 65, Charged with Criminal Trespass
RAIMUND RAEL | 6 charges
Las Cruces Man, 68, Charged with Disorderly Conduct
HERALD MIRANDA | 1 charge
Las Cruces Man, 68, Charged with Disorderly Conduct
HERALD MIRANDA | 2 charges
Chapparal Man, 34, Charged with Disorderly Conduct
LEVI CHAVEZ | 2 charges
Las Cruces Man, 26, Booked on Criminal Trespass and Disorderly Conduct
ISAIAH WALKER | 2 charges
Glen Tracy Gilbert, 65, Booked on Disorderly Conduct, Three Failure to Appear Counts
GLEN GILBERT | 4 charges
Information provided for general reference. Statutory text is summarized and may not reflect the most recent amendments. All persons listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty.