The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging the state of Michigan over its handling of the state’s sex offender registry.
In 2016, the 6th Circuit Court ruled that aspects of Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act, SORA, were unconstitutional.
The court’s opinion specifically noted portions of the act which allowed the state to retroactively impose punishments on individuals without due process.
The state of Michigan appealed the circuit court’s ruling, sending Does vs Snyder to the U.S. Supreme Court. In October 2017, the Supreme Court decided not to take up the case, upholding the 6th Circuit Court’s unanimous decision.
It has now been nearly two years since the original ruling and the Legislature has failed to make any reforms to the law.
So if the legislature allows registration schemes to grow — which is usually the case — the government will comply ASAP. But if registration is somehow curtailed, even minimally (as many would not fall into the ex post facto class), then government conveniently ignores even *federal appellate* decisions. WTF!
Well, Mrs Aukerman and the rest of the Michigan ACLU, did finally finally file that Class Action Lawsuit, on June 28th around 3:45pm, in the Eastern District Court, which is the same Court a while back that ruled that parts of the Michigan registry was unconstitutional and certain parts were Constitutional, such as the making it retroactive. So I don’t know how this bodes in our favor, except for the fact we have already won Does v Snyder. The ACLU also said we should hear arguments in August and a decision in the fall. So if the court says the Does v Snyder decision does not apply to everyone then what? Obviously, it clearly says in the 6th Circuit’s decision, that the 2006 and 2011 Amendments, can NOT be applied retroactively, to registrants who’s convictions were before the 2006 and 2011 we’re applied. So again I don’t understand how Michigan and misinterpret, those words. She also told me that I would more then likely go back to my 25 years, which would be 2020 according to her, if they changed the registration start dates back to what they were but as of now my registration start date is my conviction 6-19-1992, which means I currently have 26 years in now and would be removed. Then there is this thought, since I was convicted in 1992 and Michigan had no registry then, and I was not ordered by a judge to register, should I even of been placed on it to begin with, there reasoning was since it was passed in 94, and running in 95, when I was on parole that was why I was placed on it, because I was still under the control of the MDOC. Any thoughts on any of this stuff. Thanks guys and Gail’s.
Why can’t the legislature be sued? Can criminal charges be brought upon them for refusal to follow the ruling?
This is such UTTER Bullshit, I can’t believe people in that state have let this go on for years. MAKE YOUR VOICES BE HEARD. It’s like people ENJOY living within the oppression of their state. The politicians want to abuse you and your family and you’re not going to do anything about it? CALL THEM until the self-interested morons have to change their phone lines.
Ill keep yoi informed I found a old United States Supreme Court ruling that anyone who was not registered before there was a registry or anybody who registered was not notified at the registry would change is not obligated to any new registration that decision came down in 2001. As soon as I find a case law I will post it here I’m filing a temporary restraining order order to show cause in California using that case for every law that is written they’re going to always be a loophole we must dig deep to find them and use them to our advantage
Just like mass incarceration, the line graph for more registration laws keeps going up despite some successes, oscillations in the graph. This idea that separation of powers is going to save us is a dead end, just like the idea that the Constitution is some sentient power that is some day going to right all this is disproven at every step of the way. Do I have less restrictions placed on my since 2005, when my probation ended? the answer is no? All branches of government are now aligned to provide one product to the people of the US, a substitute for real happiness, a false sense of security that their lives are better because sex offenders are in their place and all loopholes are being closed for deviants. The message is remarkably consistent across branches of government That is the soma the elected officials and appointed officials are giving to the public, blaming pain on deviant populations, despite the pains from declines in quality of living for the vast majority of Americans. Only a small, small percentage are feeling inordinated benefits. I don’t really think the politicians, judges, bureaucrats are aware of what they are doing. They just get elected, praised, appointed, encouraged for feeding this fear. The system is self supporting untlil there is a breaking point. Many lines are converging on that same spot. Change is a coming.
It should never be the goal of legislation to make others irrelevant. Supporting a caste system is un American and violates the rights of human dignity.
Well now all these public officials are knowingly acting under color of law to deprive individuals of their constitutional liberties. No more immunity. Someone needs to sue each and everyone of these legislators in that state as well as any and all actors of the state enforcing a already determined unconstitutional law. How much were they paying people put on the registry accidentally? well there is a starting point for what damages each and everyone one of those officials can be sued for. They pull that BS on me after I win each and every legislator and public official forcing me to comply with an unconstitutional law will be sued in their individual capacities. That is the only way to make these fools take action. Hit them in their bank accounts and I guarantee that despite public opinion or reelections they will take action or pay out the a hole big time money and they may even be disbarred if the are attorneys or removed from office after they are charged criminally for those violations. All kinds of things can happen once there is no ambiguity that they are blatantly and knowingly violating people’s constitutional liberties. That is what the under color of law statutes are for although they are rarely used because it is difficult to prove knowledge or intent. In that case there is no doubt of knowledge therefore no doubt of intent. Sued in their personal capacities out of their personal bank accounts…..No longer can they hide behind immunity clauses in that situation…
How is it that the court said portions of the law was not constitutional and yet thousands in MI are subject to penalty if they do not follow unconstitutional laws? That seems ridiculous. Why should the legislature act if nothing changes if they do nothing.
Hello
Well, I heard back from Mrs Aukerman tonight regarding the Class Action Lawsuit against the state Michigan , and it seems to me just my opinion but it’s just more of the same dragging their feet. I don’t see what the issue is personally we won, fix the damn registry. So I asked her about the Class Action against Michigan and why I can’t find anything about it yet, and this was her response .
We are posting information at aclumich.org/SORAinfo. The pleadings are there. The hearings have now been moved to October, so it may be winter before we get a decision.
It just seems like more of the same crap dragging their feet, even the court is dragging it’s feet, then there is this even though we clearly won, and the 6th’s decision says 2006 and 2011 amendments can NOT be made retroactive to registrants who’s convictions were before the 2006 and 2011 were put into place.
so what if the decision is not in our favor, then the rest of us are screwed, then what? I just don’t get what the flipping hold up is I guess, we WON, fix the dam registry already. Anyway that is what is up so for concerning the class action lawsuit against Michigan, in Does v Snyder.
Hello everyone,
I was just on Michigan’s ACLU website, and they finally have uploaded the Class Action Lawsuit to their site. I uploaded it to my phone, but I have no idea how to transfer it to this site sorry. So if anyone knows how to do this so everyone has a chance to read it I would appreciate it,I believe the motions are also included as well. So if some one would be kind a enough to upload it for everyone to read would be great thank you in advance.
Hello Everyone,
Well as most of you know the Class Action Lawsuit was pushed back to October, and we probably won’t have an answer till some time this winter. I think some of the reason is because it is a election year her in Michigan. So here is the real reason I am writing this and if anyone has any thought’s on this please feel free to chime in, because I think they are doing us very wrong here in Michigan if this document was supposedly sent to ALL POLICE AGENCIES LIKE THEY CLAIM. I surfing the net, looking for stuff concerning Michigan’s SORA or the Class Action, I ran across this https://www.michigan.gov/documents/corrections/DOM_2018-23_SORA_609801_7.pdf
It says that this document was sent to ALL agencies, that clearly says that they can NOT enforce the 2006 and 2011 Amendment’s to those of us that were convicted before the Amendments were put into place.
Yet in March and June, I still had to follow all the rules, even though they do NOT and should NOT apply to me any long. Does anyone else have any thought’s on this topic. Thanks in advance.
Bobby, I follow all your comments that you post on ACSOL and I regard them as the latest on Snyder. Were you on the NARSOL/ Registry Matters combined podcast on July 19th where they interview Paul Reingold who is heading up the appeal ? I don’t think he covered this matter you bring up.
@ Two States East
Yes I did listen to the podcast, but in my opinion nothing was really answered about Snyder, or the Class Action, or at least questions I would of liked answered weren’t asked or answered. I am also going to email Me Aukerman about this memerandum from the Michigan Department of Corrections, and see if I can get her take on it if she will even answer it. I just want to know since this is memerandum that supposedly eent out to local agentcies/ cop shops, then ehyid it not being enforced. I for one would love to hear what she has to say about it.
So if I moved to Michigan now, do I need to register for an unconstitutional law? My judgment was in 2003
Hello everyone,
Well I finally heard back from Mrs Washington or her assistant anyway, and as I thought she claims that the Does v Snyder ONLY applies to the original 6 defendant’s NOT all registrant’s and we all know that is a BIG FAT LIE, I have read the 6th circuits decision many times and no way can I find were the 2006 and 2011 Amendment’s ONLY applies to the original six, It does say however that the 2006 and 2011 amendments can NO LONGER be applied retroactively to people WHO’S conviction(s) where before the Amendments were put into place, or something to that effect.
Anyway here is their response back to me, Thank you for your email dated August 14, 2018. Director Washington asked me to respond to you. We issued the Director’s Office Memorandum 2018-23 following the Sixth Circuit’s opinion in Doe v. Snyder et al, Case Nos. 15-1536/2346/2486. The purpose of the memorandum is to instruct MDOC employees only, and was based on this Department’s understanding of the opinion and its application to MDOC policies and procedures. The Doe opinion is specific in most instances to the plaintiffs in the case—not to all registrants. For this reason, each state department as well as each law enforcement agency must make an independent interpretation of the law and how, based on that interpretation, it will implement any changes it deems are required by the Doe opinion. Not every entity will interpret the case the same, and there have not been any subsequent opinions that give clarity to how the provisions of Doe apply to the entire registrant population. The MDOC memorandum only directs actions taken by MDOC employees. I hope this explanation helps.
Lisa C. Geminick
Administrator/Office of Legal Affairs
MI Department of Corrections
517.335.4194
517.335.4188 Direct
PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NEW TELEPHONE NUMBERS.
So there it is in a nutshell folk’s please let me know what your thought’s are regarding their response, and please feel free to correct me, if you do not think the 6th circuit’s decision does not apply to everyone and only applies to the original 6 defendants. Thanks in advance.