N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 14
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 (2026)

Intoxicated and disruptive in public

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) It shall be unlawful for any person in a public place to be intoxicated and disruptive in any of the following ways:

(1) Blocking or otherwise interfering with traffic on a highway or public vehicular area, or

(2) Blocking or lying across or otherwise preventing or interfering with access to or passage across a sidewalk or entrance to a building, or

(3) Grabbing, shoving, pushing or fighting others or challenging others to fight, or

(4) Cursing or shouting at or otherwise rudely insulting others, or

(5) Begging for money or other property.

(b) Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. (1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1134, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 292; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2015-247, s. 3(c).)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1980–2024 · leading case: Brooks v. Pembroke City Jail, 722 F. Supp. 1294 (E.D.N.C. 1989).
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Brooks v. Pembroke City Jail, 722 F. Supp. 1294 (E.D.N.C. 1989). “After the stop and upon a closer observation of plaintiffs condition, including the beer container protruding from his pocket, the officers’ continued detention of plaintiff was justified. In this circumstance, there is no question but that a fourth amendment seizure occurred.”
United States v. Erick Garcia-Sandobal, 703 F.3d 1278 (11th Cir. 2013). “167 (l)(e) (“[disorderly person[s]” statute); N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-444 (“[intoxicated and disruptive in public” statute).”
State v. Cooke, 271 S.E.2d 561 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 5× “§ 14-444. Intoxicated and disruptive in public.”
Balthis v. Aig Life Ins., 102 F. Supp. 2d 668 (W.D. Va. 2000). “Under the plaintiffs theory, if an insured, while drunk, stepped in front of a passing automobile on the street and was killed or injured, the loss would not be covered, since the insured was guilty of public intoxication, see N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-444(a)(1) (1999). On the other…”
Jones v. Alvarez (M.D.N.C. 2022). · cites it 18× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 (a). Defendants argue they had probable cause to believe Plaintiff committed the state-law crime of public intoxication and disruption because “the evidence on record demonstrates that Plaintiff exhibited behavior indicative of intoxication, including…”
Jones v. Alvarez (M.D.N.C. 2021). · cites it 5× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 makes it unlawful for any person in a public place to be intoxicated and disruptive, with disruptive specifically defined as “otherwise preventing or interfering with access to or passage across a sidewalk .”
Craven Cnty. Hosp. Corp. v. Lenoir Cnty., 331 S.E.2d 690 (N.C. Ct. App. 1985). “He was last released from the jail on 30 December 1982 after having posted bond on a charge of being intoxicated and disruptive in public in violation of G.S. 14-444. On the evening of 31 December 1982, Officers Lewis and Arndt of the Kinston Police Department found Baker in an…”
State v. Simpson (N.C. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 ; § 15A-1340.23(c).”
State v. Turner (N.C. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “] N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 (a) (2013) (emphasis added).”
State v. Baker, 335 S.E.2d 56 (N.C. Ct. App. 1985). “The jail sentences, imposed by the Ashe County District Court on 13 September 1984 following defendant’s conviction of drunk and disruptive conduct, G.S. 14-444, and communicating threats, G.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444(a) — 3 cases
State v. Cooke, 271 S.E.2d 561 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “§ 14-444. Intoxicated and disruptive in public.”
Jones v. Alvarez (M.D.N.C. 2021). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 makes it unlawful for any person in a public place to be intoxicated and disruptive, with disruptive specifically defined as “otherwise preventing or interfering with access to or passage across a sidewalk .”
Jones v. Alvarez (M.D.N.C. 2022). “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444 (a). Defendants argue they had probable cause to believe Plaintiff committed the state-law crime of public intoxication and disruption because “the evidence on record demonstrates that Plaintiff exhibited behavior indicative of intoxication, including…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444(a)(1) — 1 case
Balthis v. Aig Life Ins., 102 F. Supp. 2d 668 (W.D. Va. 2000). “Under the plaintiffs theory, if an insured, while drunk, stepped in front of a passing automobile on the street and was killed or injured, the loss would not be covered, since the insured was guilty of public intoxication, see N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-444(a)(1) (1999). On the other…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-444(a)(4) — 1 case
State v. Cooke, 271 S.E.2d 561 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “§ 14-444. Intoxicated and disruptive in public.”
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