05 Nov Fighting in Public Can Cause Problems
Getting along with everyone can be difficult. After all, everyone has different beliefs and opinions. However, just because two people don’t see eye to eye does not mean that they have to fight. Fights can lead to hurt feelings, and actual injuries if things become physical. No one wants that, or the legal consequences that can come with.
What some people may not realize is that getting into a fist fight with someone else in a public place is actually illegal here in California. In fact, anything that a person does in public that could be considered disturbing the peace can get them into trouble with the law.
California Penal Code 415
Here in California, Penal Code (PC) 415 is the state’s disturbing the peace law. This law makes it illegal for a person to:
- Start a fight, or challenge someone to a fight, in a public place. An example of this would be shoving someone at a bar and then fighting with that person.
- Willfully or maliciously disturbing another person with loud and unreasonable noises. A common example of this is when neighbors are arguing, so one sets up speakers pointed at the other’s house and plays loud music to annoy them.
- Using offensive words in public that are likely to provoke a fight. This can be as simple as using a racial slur in a public place.
With those definitions, it is somewhat easy to see what kind of actions can get a person into trouble with this law. Basically, anything that might get someone hurt, or annoy them enough to start a fight, can be considered disturbing the peace.
Penalties for Disturbing the Peace
Here in California, PC 415 is considered a wobbler offense. This means that it can either be charged as an infraction or as a misdemeanor. This all depends on what exactly the person did.
When charged as an infraction, the person faces relativeershe pCged asn5Jdepelativer’s-tesheep6 all d.-consequences-fighting-in-pe pCged asn5JdepelatipCgedll d.-cgsimpl,tesheep6 all d.-consequences-fipequences-fipequences-fipequences-fipequences-fipequences-fipequenc60*s-fipequfipequenc60*s-fipequfipequenc60*s-fipequfipequenc60*s-fipequf, anquemdverâ€v