What Are California’s Laws on Fighting in Public?

What Are California’s Laws on Fighting in Public?

For the most part, people are able to go about their day without much confrontation. In most instances, people would rather things go smoothly than get into a fight. Unfortunately, there are still times when fights will arise. Often times, they occur because one, or both, of the parties involved is not in their usual state of mind. Maybe one person is having a bad day, or the other has been drinking. In those instances, the people are much easier to anger, and harder to calm down. What everyone needs to remember is that getting into a fight in public can have a lot of negative consequences. Aside from all of the physical injuries, a person could also get into legal trouble too.

Don’t Disturb the Peace

Fights are no fun, and can be very dangerous for everyone involved. This is why there are several laws against fighting here in California. If a person allows themselves to get caught up in a brawl, they could face several different charges. The first charge that a person may face for fighting in public is under California Penal Code (PC) 415, which is the state’s disturbing the peace law. Under this law, it is illegal for a person to disturb someone else with loud music, offensive words, or by starting a fight. A few examples of breaking this law include:

• Pointing a speaker at a neighbor’s house and playing loud music with the intent of annoying them.
• Using offensive words or racial slurs to provoke another individual.
• Starting a fight with another person while in a public place.