

What are the Penalties for a Breach of the Peace Offense? Although the examples above, do not result in a breach of peace these vary depending on the facts of the case. The breach of peace law is designed to protect the safety and rights of citizens to be able to enjoy a reasonable expectation of peacefulness while in public or while in their homes.

To commit the crime of breaching the peace, the act typically must be purposeful and malicious. Instead, all you have to do is engage in conduct that is unlawful or unreasonable to a normal person’s sensitivities. To be convicted of disturbing the peace, it is not necessary to do something that results in a disturbance of the community’s order. What are some Examples of Breach of the Peace? If there was fighting involved, the fighting must have been unlawful, and not in self-defense or the defense of others. It can not be enough that a person engaged in conduct that merely annoyed, harassed, or embarrassed someone else. In the majority of states, the person’s conduct must have been on purpose with bad intent. These various terms mean the same thing in different jurisdictions around the United States. Most disturbing the peace offenses are usually misdemeanors, though more serious offenses may be felonies or civil infractions.īreach of the peace law can be named several things including disorderly conduct, creating a public disturbance, or disturbing the peace.

Disturbing the peace laws are overly broad and cover a wide range of behaviors. Breach of the peace is a criminal offense that varies based on the jurisdiction.ĭepending on the jurisdiction, different names may be used to label breach of peace. When a person’s words or behavior risks another person’s right to peace and tranquility, he or she may be charged with disturbing the peace. Beach of the peace is a crime that a person engages in some form of unruly public behavior, including fighting or causing excessively loud noise.
