Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503 (2026)

Disorderly conduct.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 5503. Disorderly conduct.

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

(1) engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;

(2) makes unreasonable noise;

(3) uses obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or

(4) creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor.

(b) Grading.--An offense under this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree if the intent of the actor is to cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, or if he persists in disorderly conduct after reasonable warning or request to desist. Otherwise disorderly conduct is a summary offense.

(c) Definition.--As used in this section the word "public" means affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to which the public or a substantial group has access; among the places included are highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places of business or amusement, any neighborhood, or any premises which are open to the public.

Cross References. Section 5503 is referred to in section 3019 of this title; section 12432 of Title 11 (Cities); sections 3573, 6328, 8902 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 6138 of Title 61 (Prisons and Parole); section 4312 of Title 73 (Townships).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 377 cases (87 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Fedorek, 946 A.2d 93 (Pa. 2008).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Commonwealth v. Fedorek, 946 A.2d 93 (Pa. 2008). · cites it 11× “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503 (emphasis added). As can be deduced from Section 5503, disorderly conduct is a summary offense unless it is proven at trial that the offender intended to cause “substantial harm” or “serious inconvenience,” in which case the crime is graded as a third-degree…”

Commonwealth v. Hock, 728 A.2d 943 (Pa. 1999). · cites it 10× “ A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he: 1) engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior; (2) makes unreasonable noise; (3) uses obscene…”

Dwayne Harvard v. Christopher Cesnalis, 973 F.3d 190 (3rd Cir. 2020). · cites it 3× “§ 2702 (a)(1)); (5) disorderly conduct ( 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503 (a)(4)); and (6) driving under the influence of a controlled substance ( 75 Pa.”

Com. v. McConnell, J., 244 A.3d 44 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). · cites it 8× “1996); see also 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a) (defendant must act with the “intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof”).”

Commonwealth v. Kelly, 758 A.2d 1284 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2000). · cites it 20× “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a). ¶ 8 The first inquiry is what is the definition of "obscene" for purposes of 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Hicks, M., Aplt., 208 A.3d 916 (Pa. 2019). · cites it 2× “§ 780-113(a)(31); 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(4), respectively. [J-86-2018] - 4 Possession of a concealed weapon in public creates a reasonable suspicion justifying an investigatory stop in order to investigate whether the person is properly licensed.”

Commonwealth v. Shamsud-Din, 995 A.2d 1224 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010). · cites it 6× “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a). Relevant to the instant case, one such activity is "engag[ing] in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior.”

Will El v. City of Pittsburgh, 975 F.3d 327 (3rd Cir. 2020). · cites it 2× “The Allegheny County District Attorney initially charged Will and Beyshaud with aggravated assault of a police officer but later amended the charges to summary disorderly conduct against Will, 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503 (a)(4), and summary harassment against Beyshaud, id.”

Commonwealth v. Troy, 832 A.2d 1089 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003). · cites it 4× “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503. ¶ 11 Overall, we conclude that the evidence was sufficient to establish that Appellant recklessly created a risk of public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by sending a package of wet, leaky garbage through the mail, which created a hazardous or physically…”

Com. v. Vetter, J., III, 149 A.3d 71 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). · cites it 4× “The Commonwealth argues such public urination is a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503, disorderly conduct. The Commonwealth argues that seeing Vetter positioned as he was, “door was open, and he was standing right at the A pillar with his back towards oncoming traffic and his hands…”

Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 835 A.2d 720 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003). · cites it 2× “§ 907(b)) and disorderly conduct (18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(1)), and two counts each of REAP (18 Pa.”

Martin v. Pennsylvania Bd. of Prob. & Parole, 840 A.2d 299 (Pa. 2003). · cites it 2× “§ 3736(a), in 1990, with a subsequent conviction for disorderly conduct, 18 Pa. C.S. § 5503(a), in 1993. The Board declared him delinquent in June of 1994, and revoked his parole as a convicted parole violator on August 22, 1996, based upon his conviction for a violation of the…”

Show all 377 citing cases →

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(1) — 2 cases

Pennsylvania State Police v. McPherson, 831 A.2d 800 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003).

Com. v. Lane, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(2) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Matthews, 28 Pa. D. & C.4th 481 (1996).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(4) — 1 case

Bracken v. Manor Twp. (W.D. Pa. 2023).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(A)(4) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Smith, 14 Pa. D. & C.5th 326 (2010).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a) — 61 cases

Commonwealth v. Hock, 728 A.2d 943 (Pa. 1999). “ A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he: 1) engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior; (2) makes unreasonable noise; (3) uses obscene…”

Martin v. Pennsylvania Bd. of Prob. & Parole, 840 A.2d 299 (Pa. 2003). “§ 3736(a), in 1990, with a subsequent conviction for disorderly conduct, 18 Pa. C.S. § 5503(a), in 1993. The Board declared him delinquent in June of 1994, and revoked his parole as a convicted parole violator on August 22, 1996, based upon his conviction for a violation of the…”

Commonwealth v. Swope, 123 A.3d 333 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Ostrosky, 909 A.2d 1224 (Pa. 2006).

Commonwealth v. Koch, 431 A.2d 1052 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1981).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(1) — 85 cases

Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 835 A.2d 720 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003). “§ 907(b)) and disorderly conduct (18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(1)), and two counts each of REAP (18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Fedorek, 946 A.2d 93 (Pa. 2008). “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503 (emphasis added). As can be deduced from Section 5503, disorderly conduct is a summary offense unless it is proven at trial that the offender intended to cause “substantial harm” or “serious inconvenience,” in which case the crime is graded as a third-degree…”

Com. v. Bradley, P., 237 A.3d 1131 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

Pennsylvania State Police v. McPherson, 831 A.2d 800 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003).

Commonwealth v. Shamsud-Din, 995 A.2d 1224 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010). “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a). Relevant to the instant case, one such activity is "engag[ing] in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior.”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(2) — 38 cases

Commonwealth v. Giulian v. Aplt., 141 A.3d 1262 (Pa. 2016).

Commonwealth v. Maerz, 879 A.2d 1267 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2005).

Commonwealth v. Gilbert, 674 A.2d 284 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1996).

Com. v. McConnell, J., 244 A.3d 44 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020). “1996); see also 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a) (defendant must act with the “intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof”).”

Com. v. Bertothy, J., 307 A.3d 776 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(3) — 21 cases

Commonwealth v. Kelly, 758 A.2d 1284 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2000). “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a). ¶ 8 The first inquiry is what is the definition of "obscene" for purposes of 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Pennix, 176 A.3d 340 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Commonwealth v. McCoy, 69 A.3d 658 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013).

Commonwealth v. Bryner, 652 A.2d 909 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1995).

Brockway v. Shepherd, 942 F. Supp. 1012 (M.D. Penn. 1996).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(4) — 102 cases

Commonwealth v. Hicks, M., Aplt., 208 A.3d 916 (Pa. 2019). “§ 780-113(a)(31); 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(4), respectively. [J-86-2018] - 4 Possession of a concealed weapon in public creates a reasonable suspicion justifying an investigatory stop in order to investigate whether the person is properly licensed.”

Commonwealth v. Troy, 832 A.2d 1089 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003). “18 Pa.C.S. § 5503. ¶ 11 Overall, we conclude that the evidence was sufficient to establish that Appellant recklessly created a risk of public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by sending a package of wet, leaky garbage through the mail, which created a hazardous or physically…”

In the Interest of: C.E.H., a Minor, 167 A.3d 767 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(4)(c) — 1 case

Com. v. Hammond, K. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(a)(l) — 11 cases

Commonwealth v. Brandwein, 10 Pa. D. & C.5th 13 (2009).

Com. v. Paleti, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Glowania, K. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Odeniyi, 11 Pa. D. & C.5th 270 (2010).

Com. v. Williams, N. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(b) — 28 cases

Pennsylvania State Police v. McPherson, 831 A.2d 800 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2003).

Russoli v. Salisbury Twp., 126 F. Supp. 2d 821 (E.D. Pa. 2000).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(c) — 24 cases

Commonwealth v. Young, 535 A.2d 1141 (Pa. 1988).

Commonwealth v. Lawson, 759 A.2d 1 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2000).

Commonwealth v. Coon, 695 A.2d 794 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5503(d) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Dow, 3 Pa. D. & C.4th 283 (1989).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.