Case Name: THE STATE vs. PETER BUCKLEY
Court: Delaware Court of General Sessions
Jurisdiction: Delaware
Decision Date: 1854
Citations: 5 Harr. 508
Docket Number: 
Parties: THE STATE vs. PETER BUCKLEY.
Judges: 
Reporter: Delaware Reports
Volume: 5
Pages: 508–508

Head Matter:
THE STATE vs. PETER BUCKLEY.
Disorderly house—definition.
Indicted for keeping a disorderly house.

Opinion:
Chief Justice
Booth defined the offence of keeping a disorderly house as consisting not merely in the sale of liquor, whether lawfully or unlawfully; but in the improper government and control of the house, and the consequent results of public injury to the neighborhood. Every'man is responsible for the good government of his house or store, so far as the public is concerned; and the footway or pavement before a man's store máy, by his permission and encouragement, be so used in connection with his house as to become for this purpose a part of his house, which he is required to exercise a proper control and restraint over. If a man keeping a store and selling liquor, whether lawfully or unlawfully, permit persons to collect there in crowds, who under the influence of liquor there obtained, are noisy and riotous, and by their cursing and swearing, or other misbehavior, disturb the neighborhood generally, and to the general annoyance of the people there residing or being, he is guilty of keeping a disorderly house, and indictable for maintaining a nuisance.