Case Name: In re DANIEL N.
Court: Supreme Court of Rhode Island
Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
Decision Date: 1991-12-12
Citations: 599 A.2d 1359
Docket Number: No. 91-302-Appeal
Parties: In re DANIEL N.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's Atlantic Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 599
Pages: 1359–1359

Head Matter:
In re DANIEL N.
No. 91-302-Appeal.
Supreme Court of Rhode Island.
Dec. 12, 1991.
Douglas Rose, Providence, for plaintiff.
Barbara Hurst, Asst. Public Defender, for defendant.

Opinion:
ORDER
This case came before the court for oral argument December 2,1991 pursuant to an order which had directed both parties to appear in order to show cause why the issues raised by this appeal should not be summarily decided.
After hearing the arguments of counsel and examining the memoranda filed by the parties, this court is of the opinion that the charge of disorderly conduct based upon the verbal statements of the respondent did not meet the standards of "fighting words" as those standards have been set forth in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568, 62 S.Ct. 766, 86 L.Ed. 1031 (1942); State v. McKenna, 415 A.2d 729 (R.I.1980); State v. Authelet, 120 R.I. 42, 385 A.2d 642 (1978).
Consequently the respondent's appeal is sustained. The case may be remanded to the Family Court with directions to enter an adjudication of acquittal in favor of the respondent.