Drunk and Disorderly Charges in Columbus, Ohio

To be charged with disorderly conduct while intoxicated, you must have done either of the following while voluntarily intoxicated:

• In a public place or with more than one person, behave in a way likely to be offensive or cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm to a reasonable person, which you would know if you weren’t intoxicated
• Whether through your own actions or through encouraging others’, create a risk of physical harm to you, other people or property

Every day in Columbus, people are charged with alcohol-related criminal offenses. Alcohol offense penalties can range from a minor misdemeanor, punishable by only a fine, to a fourth-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail.

Penalties for Disorderly Conduct in Columbus, OH

• Maintaining your current employment
• Licensure issues in some professions
• Difficulty getting a good job in the future
• Difficulty and possible denial in immigration and naturalization proceedings

Simply put, if you are convicted of disorderly conduct while intoxicated, it could remain on your criminal background for the rest of your life. No matter what the circumstances were in your case, you rightly or wrongly run the risk of being considered a person who has had an issue with alcohol. Therefore, it is critical that you give your disorderly conduct while intoxicated offense the level of importance it deserves.

At Luftman, Heck & Associates, our Columbus criminal defense team takes a two-pronged approach to all disorderly conduct while intoxicated cases. First and foremost, we will figure out what mistakes the police made and what legal issues can be raised on your behalf.

We do this by requesting discovery from the prosecutor. The discovery will generally consist of police reports, additional investigative notes and potentially a lab analysis of the alcohol. As our client, you will receive a copy of everything received from the prosecutor for your review

Based on the legal weaknesses in the State of Ohio’s case and any other mitigating factors, we will negotiate the best possible plea available with the prosecutor for you to consider in resolving your case.

If your case cannot be resolved satisfactorily with a plea, it would then proceed to a motion hearing (a hearing where the judge issues a ruling on an evidentiary issue) or a trial to the judge or jury, depending on the circumstances.

The second approach taken by our Columbus criminal defense lawyers is to identify whether you have an alcohol or substance abuse problem and if there are treatment programs available in lieu of jail or a conviction on your case.

For nearly 10 years, we have successfully represented clients on disorderly conduct while intoxicated offenses. That extensive previous experience will enable us to better help you.

Are You in Trouble? Contact Us for Help

If you’ve been charged with an underage alcohol offense, it’s important to know what you’re up against. If you have any questions left unanswered by this page, or if you need a competent, experienced criminal defense attorney to fight for you in court, please contact us at (614) 500-3836 or via email at advice@columbuscriminalattorney.com.