By John Agar . . . MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – The Michigan Supreme Court said requirements of the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act are an unconstitutional punishment for a man convicted years before the registry took effect. The man’s attorney said the ruling in the Muskegon County case would impact others who were convicted before registry rules were amended in…
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By Samuel Dodge LANSING, MI – The Michigan Senate voted Wednesday to codify court-recommended changes in the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act. The legislation now only needs Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature to become law. State lawmakers approved altering registration protocols for sex offenders during its Wednesday session, fulfilling a 4-year-old mandate from the U.S. Court of Appeals. The federal court…
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By George Hunter . . . Michigan lawmakers are debating how to overhaul the state’s sex offender registry after a federal appeals court ruled sections of the law are unconstitutional, but Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is contending the proposed fixes don’t repair the law’s flaws. As Democratic and Republican elected officials wrestle over the best solution to a highly charged issue,…
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Sex offender registries promised to keep survivors and communities safe by limiting where people convicted of sex offenses can live, work, learn and volunteer. It requires them to publicly register where they reside and work. But studies show these laws fail to keep us safe, while they create an underclass of people who struggle to find a good job and…
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By Mark Hicks . . . A federal judge is commanding state authorities to stop enforcing rules under the Michigan Sex Offender Registry Act during the coronavirus pandemic. According to an interim order U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland issued Monday, officials are “preliminarily enjoined from enforcing registration, verification, school zone, and fee violations of (the act) that occurred or may…
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By Fred . . . Last week it came to NARSOL’s attention that there had been a sudden new development in the Does v. Snyder case. Michigan State Police have decided that at this time they will not be registering anyone whose sexual offense conviction occurred prior to the April 2011 changes in the statute. A copy of the memorandum…
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Watch a video conference for Michigan registrants, held Feb. 17 with ACLU Senior Attorney Miriam Aukerman, Oliver Law Group Attorney Alyson Oliver, and Paul Reingold to learn updates for registrants after the ruling Feb. 14. On Feb. 14, U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland ruled to provide relief for registrants on the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act. Judge Cleland ordered that if the legislature does not bring…
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From the ACLU of Michigan . . . The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) applauds today’s decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland to provide relief for registrants on the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA). In today’s ruling, Judge Cleland ordered that if the legislature does not bring the law into compliance with constitutional requirements, the state will no…
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(WXYZ) A federal judge has issued a ruling that invalidates portions of Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA) that are unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Cleland issued the decision on Friday in a lawsuit that argued the SORA was unconstitutional. Cleland heard oral arguments in Port Huron Federal Court on Feb. 5 based on his previous 2015 ruling and…
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From our Michigan affiliate: It appears we are in for more waiting. The state of Michigan is not working as fast or in the direction we had hoped. Because of that, we are moving forward with our class action lawsuit. The state and the ACLU have filed the necessary documents outlining their respective positions. The state’s position is that they…
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