South Dakota Laws on Disorderly Conduct
- Disorderly conduct can be punished with up to one year in jail in South Dakota.Legal Law Justice image by Stacey Alexander from Fotolia.com
In the state of South Dakota, disorderly conduct charges encompass actions that are alarming to other people and that cause inconvenience to the public. South Dakota considers disorderly conduct to be a Class 2 misdemeanor, which carries a maximum fine of 30 days in county jail and a $500 fine. If a person is convicted of three charges of disorderly conduct within a span of 10 years, the last charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A Class 1 misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one year in a county jail and a $1,000 fine. - Disorderly conduct can include a number of actions. The actions include loud noise, such as music being played way too loud in a residence; fighting; obstructing traffic, whether it be on the road or on the sidewalk; and disturbing meetings of people.
- If someone purposely interrupts the South Dakota Legislature while it is in session, it is a Class 2 misdemeanor. This can include distracting legislators or attempting to lower the level of authority the legislature has.
- The mayors of each South Dakota town has the authority to enforce martial law to prevent or quell disorderly conduct. For example, in 1972, Rapid City Mayor Don Barnett declared martial law during the June 9-10 Rapid City flood.
