Many states have public intoxication laws specifying that you’re not permitted to be drunk in public. However, Colorado isn’t one of these states. There are other offenses that you can be arrested and charged with though that may stem from your public intoxication. For example, if you’re being too loud and disorderly, you could be arrested for disorderly conduct. If you have questions about any criminal matters related to public intoxication or any other related offenses, including Denver drug DUI, Attorney Kevin Churchill from Churchill Criminal Defense can assist. Contact a Denver public intoxication lawyer today at (303) 832-9000 or use our easy online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Since being intoxicated in public isn’t actually a crime in Colorado, it’s important to know about the other offenses you could be charged with and how to defend yourself against them. One of the most common related charges includes disorderly conduct.
Disorderly conduct includes several different types of behaviors, such as causing a disturbance, fighting in public, or making an obviously offensive utterance, gesture, or display in public. While none of these are specifically about being intoxicated in public, it’s not uncommon for intoxicated individuals to engage in these types of behaviors. There are several other actions that could lead to a disorderly conduct charge, such as discharging a firearm in public.
An experienced attorney will be able to determine the best defense to present in order to get the best outcome for your case, but some of the common defenses raised against a disorderly conduct charge include the following:
Sometimes, an individual is arrested while protesting and they are charged with disorderly conduct. The legal defense is that individuals are allowed to use their voices and protest as long as they are doing so peacefully. If an individual is wrongfully arrested at a protest, this could be a valid defense.
If you’re arrested for fighting and charged with disorderly conduct, you can raise a self-defense claim. In Colorado, you have the right to use physical force to defend yourself if you believe that it is reasonably necessary to protect yourself from imminent harm and you only use the degree of force that is necessary in that defense of yourself. If you’re able to provide evidence that this is what happened, it could be a successful legal defense.
Many disorderly conduct charges stem from large groups of intoxicated people making excessive noise. If law enforcement shows up and isn’t exactly sure who was breaking the law, they might unfairly arrest multiple people and thereby take the wrong suspects into custody. If you have evidence that you weren’t part of the crowd or you were clearly not doing anything at all that would rise to the level of disorderly conduct, this is also a valid legal defense.
While public intoxication isn’t in and of itself a crime, there are other related offenses that you could be charged with. If at any point an officer stops you or arrests you and says it is only for public intoxication, you should speak with a lawyer immediately. Attorney Kevin Churchill has been handling alcohol and drug related offenses for more than 22 years, so when you hire Churchill Criminal Defense, you can be confident you’re in good hands. Contact us today at (303) 832-9000 or use our easy online contact form to schedule a free consultation
