Disorderly Conduct
720 ILCS 5/26-1 — alarming or disturbing another and provoking a breach of the peace, and false reports and alarms
A person commits disorderly conduct when they knowingly do any act in such an unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace. That is a Class C misdemeanor.
Who handles this in Illinois: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.
| The conduct | Class |
|---|---|
| The conductAn unreasonable act that alarms or disturbs and provokes a breach of the peace | ClassClass C misdemeanor |
| The conductA false alarm of fire | ClassClass 4 felony |
| The conductA threat of violence against people at a school, or of destroying a school building | ClassClass 4 felony |
| The conductA report to an officer of an offense, knowing there is no reasonable ground for it | ClassClass 4 felony |
| The conductA false alarm that a bomb, explosive or poison gas is concealed where it would endanger life | ClassClass 3 felony |
A false bomb alarm also carries a fine of not less than $3,000 and no more than $10,000 on top of any other penalty, and a person convicted of a school threat repays the agency's reasonable costs of the emergency response, up to $10,000, unless found indigent.
Anyone convicted of disorderly conduct is ordered to perform 30 to 120 hours of community service where the county funds and approves it, unless the court imposes incarceration.
Sources for this section (1)
- 720 ILCS 5/26-1 — Disorderly conduct
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.