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South Dakota criminal charge

Disorderly conduct in South Dakota

Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session

Disorderly conduct is a criminal offense under South Dakota law, defined by SDCL § 22-18-35. Its classification is not fixed: South Dakota assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by SDCL § 22-18-35.

What is the penalty for disorderly conduct in South Dakota?

Penalties for Disorderly conduct
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 30 days (Disorderly conduct (base offense) — Applies to a person who intentionally causes serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or creates a risk thereof, through the enumerated conduct, without a qualifying prior record.; county jail)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Fineup to $500 (Disorderly conduct (base offense) — Applies to a person who intentionally causes serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or creates a risk thereof, through the enumerated conduct, without a qualifying prior record.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Disorderly conduct (fourth or subsequent offense) — Applies when the defendant has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, three or more violations of this section within the preceding ten years, for the fourth or subsequent offense.; county jail)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Fineup to $2,000 (Disorderly conduct (fourth or subsequent offense) — Applies when the defendant has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, three or more violations of this section within the preceding ten years, for the fourth or subsequent offense.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2

Applies to current.

How is disorderly conduct classified in South Dakota?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Disorderly conduct
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Disorderly conduct (base offense)Class 2 MisdemeanorApplies to a person who intentionally causes serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or creates a risk thereof, through the enumerated conduct, without a qualifying prior record.SDCL § 22-18-35undefined
Disorderly conduct (fourth or subsequent offense)Class 1 MisdemeanorApplies when the defendant has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, three or more violations of this section within the preceding ten years, for the fourth or subsequent offense.SDCL § 22-18-35undefined

Common questions about disorderly conduct in South Dakota

Is disorderly conduct a felony or a misdemeanor in South Dakota?

It depends on the circumstances: disorderly conduct ranges from a Class 2 Misdemeanor to a Class 1 Misdemeanor in South Dakota under SDCL § 22-18-35.

Disorderly conduct (base offense): Class 2 Misdemeanor (SDCL § 22-18-35) · Disorderly conduct (fourth or subsequent offense): Class 1 Misdemeanor (SDCL § 22-18-35)

What are the penalties for disorderly conduct in South Dakota?

Penalties for disorderly conduct in South Dakota depend on how it is classified — from a Class 2 Misdemeanor up to a Class 1 Misdemeanor — with the ranges set by SDCL § 22-6-2; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which South Dakota statute covers disorderly conduct?

Disorderly conduct is governed by SDCL § 22-18-35 (Disorderly conduct--Misdemeanor).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.