8th Circuit Court of Appeals affirming the dismissal of class-action litigation concerning Missouri's sex offense civil commitment program in light of Karsjens.
Van Orden v. Stringer (8th Cir. 2019)
Posted: September 11, 2019
In re Sigler (Kan. 2019)
Posted: September 6, 2019
Kansas Supreme Court affirming the commitment of an individual who was the subject of a second SVP petition in the wake of technical violations of his supervision, rejecting res judicata, collateral estoppel and Due Process arguments.
State v. Perez-Medina (Kan. 2019)
Posted: September 6, 2019
Divided Kansas Supreme Court opinion affirming lower courts' findings that Kansas' registration scheme was non-punitive in the context of a violent, non-sexual offense.
Jones v. County of Suffolk et al. (2nd Cir. 2019)
Posted: September 5, 2019
2nd Circuit Court of Appeals affirming a federal trial court's finding that even if Plaintiff was "seized" during verification visits by contract employees of the state (Parents for Megan's Law), that the seizure was not unreasonable in light of the application of the special needs doctrine.
The Appeal: People On Sex Offender Registry Should Shelter From Dorian In Jail
Posted: September 4, 2019
For some people convicted of sex crimes in Florida, the only shelter open to them during Hurricane Dorian was the county jail.
In some counties, people on the registry were barred from shelters set up for those evacuating, and told to go to separate locations, away from children and other community members. If they attempted to stay with friends or relatives, they faced daunting residency and registration requirements, according to the Florida Action Committee, which advocates for reform of sex offender registry laws. Failure to comply can mean a felony conviction and incarceration.
In Osceola County, a separate shelter was set up at the housing agency for “sex offenders,” meaning people on the registry, according to a local news report by WKMG-TV. And in Flagler County, registered sex offenders were directed to go to the sheriff’s office for shelter, according to a WJXT-TV report. The Nassau County Board of Commissioners website advised people on the sex offender registry to seek shelter in the county jail.
“It was such a traumatic experience to be incarcerated. I’m not going to subject myself to that voluntarily,” a representative with the Florida Action Committee told The Appeal. “I’d rather tie myself to a tree.”
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The Appeal: People On Sex Offender Registry Should Shelter From Dorian In Jail
Stateside: ACLU’s Miriam Aukerman on Sex Offender Registries
Posted: September 2, 2019
In 2016, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Does v. Snyder declaring Michigan's sex offense registry unconstitutional. The ACLU has since gone back to federal court seeking to enforce the 6th Circuit's decision. Miriam Aukerman appeared on NPR's Stateside to discuss the litigation, ongoing efforts to achieve reform, and sex offense policies more generally.
Stateside: ACLU’s Miriam Aukerman on Sex Offender Registries