Abington Teacher Charged with Disorderly Conduct: An Expungement Tale
Recently, our expert lawyers at the Logue Law Group handled the expungement of a disorderly conduct case that was nearly going to cost a school teacher his job!
We know what you are thinking- disorderly conduct and a school teacher doesn’t quite fit, right? Well, life itself is an irony! And honestly, cases like these surprise us as well. But our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers are always up for such challenging cases, and they put their heart and soul into protecting the rights of their clients.
So, what did happen out there in Abington Township? And how did we arrange for the expungement? Explore the blog to know everything in detail.
A Quick Glimpse at ‘Disorderly Conduct’
Title 18 § 5503 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes specifies ‘disorderly conduct’ as follows:
“A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he:
- engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;
- makes unreasonable noise;
- uses obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or
- creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor.”
There are two separate charges and penalties for disorderly conduct. If your behavior fits the above definition, it becomes a misdemeanor of the third degree. Penalties for this charge include –
- Up to 1 year of imprisonment.
- Fines up to $500.
And if your behavior does not fit the above definition, it becomes a summary offense, for which you may have to experience-
- Up to 90 days of imprisonment.
- Fines up to $300.
Now, you may think that apologizing to the cops and paying a fine would dismiss the case. But what you don’t realize is, the moment you pay the fine, a criminal record gets etched in your name! That is exactly why you need the assistance of Pittsburgh criminal lawyers to effectively guide you through such cases and help rule the outcome in your favor.
The Incident and the Outcome
Our client, a 37-year-old school teacher, was approached by two patrolling cops. According to them, our client had parked his car improperly, and they requested him to move the vehicle.
However, our client did not just refuse to cooperate, but also insisted on the patrolling officer moving the car to a permitted parking spot. Now, when the officer got inside, he saw stashes of marijuana and paraphernalia inside our client’s glove compartment. As a result, the officer charged our client with disorderly conduct and cited the possession of marijuana in his report.
Now, such kind of a criminal conviction, especially for a school teacher, meant a clear loss of his job. Upon realizing this, our client sought refuge with our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers.
We knew that moving to court would mean rupturing our client’s reputation. So, our expert Pittsburgh criminal lawyers came in direct terms with the patrolling officer instead. And after a brief negotiation session, we arranged our client’s participation in a court diversion program, completing which he was allowed to move for expungement. And that’s how our expert lawyers helped a school teacher from utter embarrassment, and saved him from losing his job.
Such cases are fine instances that showcase that a criminal charge doesn’t mean the end of life! Instead, you can seek assistance from experienced Pittsburgh criminal lawyers and protect your rights effectively!
Also, if you need a knowledgeable legal professional, don’t hesitate to call us at 844.PITT.DUI and book a free consultation!