Ohio justices quiet critic of excessive noise law

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's high court says people of "ordinary intelligence" should know loud when they hear loud.

That was the essence of a unanimous Ohio Supreme Court ruling Wednesday. It upheld the constitutionality of Ohio's disorderly conduct law against excessive noise.

Jason Carrick of Wayne County challenged the statute as unconstitutionally vague after being arrested for disorderly conduct during a Halloween party. He failed three times to turn down loud music reported by his neighbors.

The law forbids "recklessly causing inconvenience, annoyance or alarm to another by ... making excessive noise." Carrick's attorneys cited a 1985 appeals court ruling in which the law was voided for not being specific enough.

Justices resolved the legal conflict in their ruling, saying the law provides sufficient notice to a person of ordinary intelligence as to what's required.