Public Order Offenses

Public order offenses in Massachusetts can include felony or misdemeanor crimes depending upon the length of sentence that can be imposed. Public order crimes are handled seriously by law enforcement authorities for the good of the public order and they encompass a wide range of criminal charges and possible punishments. A person convicted of a public order offense may be subjected to significant fines, long-term probation, or lengthy jail sentences. Several public order crimes in Massachusetts have been grouped together and can be found in one statute, M.G.L. Ch. 273, s. 53. This section of our laws prohibits illegal conduct such as being a Common Nightwalker, engaging in Disorderly Conduct, Disturbing the Peace of the public, Indecent Exposure of oneself, engaging in Lewd, Wanton and Lascivious Behavior, or proposing or engaging in Sexual Conduct for a Fee.

Other public order offenses in Massachusetts fall under crimes against against chastity, morality, decency and good order or crimes against the public peace or public justice and include the following:

• Bail Jumping
• Use of a Telephone for Betting of Gaming Purposes
• Deriving Support from the Earnings of a Prostitute
• Engaging in and Unnatural and Lascivious Act
• Disseminating Obscene Matter or Possession with Intent to Disseminate Obscene Matter
• Open and Gross Lewdness and Lascivious Behavior
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession of Fireworks
• Intimidating a Witness, Juror, Court Official or Law Enforcement Officer
• Registering Bets
• Maintaining an Illegal Lottery
• Giving a False Name to Police upon Arrest
• False Report of a Crime
• Escape
• Fighting Animals
• Failing to Register as a Sex Offender
• Keeper of a Noisy and Disorderly House
• Accosting or Annoying Persons of the Opposite Sex

Public order offense crimes are often very winnable cases. For example, with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace charges there are many occasions when the police will simply arrest an individual because they do not like what that person said or did. Consequently, they attempt substantiate the arrest by drafting a police report tailored to fit the charge. However, when the police concoct a story in a police report to an manufacture a bogus arrest and press charges their lies can be exposed by an effective cross-examination at trial by an experienced criminal defense lawyer who knows how to tie lying police officers up in knots and create reasonable doubt in a judge or jury. Indeed, a wise man once said that it is easy to tell the truth but much more difficult to remember a story full of lies.

The bottom line is that if you have been charged with any public order offense you need a Boston, Massachusetts public order offense lawyer with years of jury trial experience to successfully defend your public order offense case. The Law Office of Patrick J. Murphy has that experience and is fully prepared to defend any client charged with a public order crime. Contact Attorney Murphy now for a free legal consultation criminal case by calling (617) 367-0450 or by completing the online contact form which will be directly emailed to him.