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.
