---
title: "What is disorderly conduct in Rhode Island?"
description: "Disorderly conduct in Rhode Island is a misdemeanor defined by RIGL § 11-45-1. The statute covers a wide range of behavior: fighting in public, making unreasonable noise, using obscene or abusive..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/what-is-disorderly-conduct-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-04-22
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# What is disorderly conduct in Rhode Island?

Disorderly conduct in Rhode Island is a misdemeanor defined by RIGL § 11-45-1. The statute covers a wide range of behavior: fighting in public, making unreasonable noise, using obscene or abusive language likely to provoke a fight, obstructing traffic, refusing to leave a place when lawfully asked, and other "catch-all" conduct that alarms or inconveniences the public. Because the statute is so broad, Rhode Island police use it in a huge variety of situations - bar fights, roadside arguments, domestic calls, protest arrests, and traffic stops. A conviction carries up to 6 months in jail plus a fine and a permanent record. Most first-offense disorderly conduct cases in Rhode Island District Court do not result in jail, but they do create a criminal record that follows you until expungement. A **Rhode Island disorderly conduct lawyer** can usually negotiate a filing, dismissal, or diversion that keeps a conviction off your record entirely.