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THE THREATS ALLEGEDLY MADE TO PETITIONER WERE NOT MADE IN PUBLIC AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THE THREATS WERE MADE WITH THE INTENTION TO CAUSE A PUBLIC DISTURBANCE; THEREFORE THE FAMILY OFFENSE PETITION ALLEGING DISORDERLY CONDUCT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the alleged threats against petitioner were made privately and did not create a public disturbance. In addition, there was no proof the alleged threats were made with the intent to cause a public disturbance. Therefore the petition alleging disorderly conduct as a family offense should have been dismissed:

… “[A] person is guilty of disorderly conduct when, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof[,] . . . [h]e [or she] engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior” (Penal Law § 240.20 [1]). Pursuant to both CPL 530.11 (1) and Family Court Act § 812 (1), “‘disorderly conduct’ includes disorderly conduct not in a public place.” Yet, “even where the conduct at issue is alleged to have occurred in a private residence, in order for a petitioner to meet his or her burden of establishing the family offense of disorderly conduct, there must be a prima facie showing that the conduct was either intended to cause, or recklessly created a risk of causing, public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm. The intent to cause, or recklessness in causing, public harm, is the mens rea of the offense of disorderly conduct” … . * * *

… [P]etitioner failed to meet her burden of making a prima facie showing that respondent had the requisite intent to create public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly causing a risk of the same … . In this respect, petitioner’s evidence does not establish that respondent’s actions were public in a manner that would support such a finding … . Respondent’s threat against petitioner’s life would have undoubtedly caused public disorder if others had heard the threat … ; however, the record reveals that respondent appears to have threatened petitioner’s life in only their company, and without having drawn the attention of others to the scene … . Further, although the police were called on one instance, without a police report in evidence, it is impossible to determine which one of the parties — or if, in fact, a neighbor — had called the police to therefore permit a finding that respondent’s conduct rose to the level of creating a public disturbance. Matter of Kilts v Kilts, 2022 NY Slip Op 06660, Third Dept 11-23-22

Practice Point: To prove the family offense of disorderly conduct, the conduct must occur in public or must have been motivated by the intention to cause a public disturbance. The petitioner did not meet her burden of proof and the family offense petition should have been dismissed.

 

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