§ 18.2-415 — Disorderly conduct in public places

Virginia § 18.2-415

• Jurisdiction: Virginia
• Title 18.2: Crimes and Offenses Generally
• Ch. 9: Crimes Against Peace and Order
• Art. 2: Disorderly Conduct

Text

A. A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he:

1. In any street, highway, or public building, or while in or on a public conveyance, or while in a public place engages in conduct having a direct tendency to cause acts of violence by the person or persons at whom, individually, such conduct is directed;

2. Willfully or being intoxicated, whether willfully or not, and whether such intoxication results from self-administered alcohol or other drug of whatever nature, disrupts any funeral, memorial service, or meeting of the governing body of any political subdivision of this Commonwealth or a division or agency thereof, or of any school, literary society, or place of religious worship, if the disruption (i) prevents or interferes with the orderly conduct of the funeral, memorial service, or meeting or (ii) has a direct tendency to cause acts of violence by the person or persons at whom, individually, the disruption is directed; or

3. Willfully or while intoxicated, whether willfully or not, and whether such intoxication results from self-administered alcohol or other drug of whatever nature, disrupts the operation of any school or any activity conducted or sponsored by any school, if the disruption (i) prevents or interferes with the orderly conduct of the operation or activity or (ii) has a direct tendency to cause acts of violence by the person or persons at whom, individually, the disruption is directed.

B. The conduct prohibited under subsection A shall not be deemed to include the utterance or display of any words or to include conduct otherwise made punishable under this title.

C. The person in charge of any such building, place, conveyance, meeting, operation, or activity may eject therefrom any person who violates any provision of this section, with the aid, if necessary, of any persons who may be called upon for such purpose.

D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any elementary or secondary school student if the disorderly conduct occurred on the property of any elementary or secondary school, on a school bus as defined in § 46.2-100, or at any activity conducted or sponsored by any elementary or secondary school.

E. The governing bodies of counties, cities, and towns are authorized to adopt ordinances prohibiting and punishing the acts and conduct prohibited by this section, provided that the punishment fixed therefor shall not exceed that prescribed for a Class 1 misdemeanor. A person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Legislative History

Code 1950, §§ 18.1-239, 18.1-240, 18.1-253.1 through 18.1-253.3; 1960, c. 358; 1968, c. 639; 1969, Ex. Sess., c. 2; 1970, c. 374; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 244; 1990, c. 627; 2006, c. 250; 2020, cc. 199, 355.