NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s requirement that people convicted of certain sex crimes carry a state-issued ID card with the words “SEX OFFENDER” printed on it in orange capital letters is unconstitutional, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The 6-1 ruling upholds a decision by a state judge in Lafayette who last year threw out a charge filed against a man who altered his card to remove the label.
State attorneys had argued that the state had a legitimate interest in having the information on the ID card: to let law enforcement officers know the cardholder’s criminal history.
But Justice James Genovese, writing for the majority, said there are less restrictive ways to inform law enforcement than requiring someone to show the branded card every time they are required to produce a government ID.
I’m not in Louisiana but that’s great news for them SO on license ruled unconstitutional.
Can this reasoning be used on passport as well?
🤔 Could the same successful legal arguments be used to attack International Megan’s Law’s branded passports? 🤔
This is in line with AL court ruling on this topic from 2019 but opposite 10th CCoA ruling via OK 2015(?). Good thing it was state and not Fed court. SCOTUS may not take it if appealed.
Shame on all those who wrote, supported or issued this requirement before the Louisiana’s court system. Maybe all these individuals should be required to present their Nazi ID’s so we know who they are….!
Oh dear David you are a legal argument. You might even be a legal argument. Lets all use some common sense for a change. Even Laura is using a bit of common sense. And remember it was a woman that gave the fruit to Adam. I hope that wets your brain studies a bit. One wonders why she gave the fruit to Adam. I am sure any of you logical people could figure that one out or is it all in the database on some computer disc?
Now this virus is telling on everyone and as I remember when it started it was sort of a mockery on here of calling the kettle black. Hey when justice gets out of balance the whole world suffers in one way or another or what is this virus doing. One doesn’t think its promoting good will do they? And Tim your not gonna find that answer on no data base as that is a power beyond your’s or mine human intelligent.
This sex offender thing on license is probably gonna wind up as a tier type issue because the word sex is taken out if this proposal. Guess sex is a dirty word to evven use in a court of law today or on a draft card. I’m sure one could visualize it ….. First sargent in combat classified ..sex offender first class… sounds like a psycho type ordeal.
Surprisingly sane decision coming from the land of the legacy of Nutjob Jindal!
If the sole reason for the marking is to enable LEO to identify one as a sex offender, then no marking is really needed at all. They routinely run every driver license they encounter, and the system will immediately let them know who is a sex offender and who is not, including a person who hasn’t complied with the requirement of having a marked license.
Florida has the statue for offenders and Sexual Predator in red letters on licenses. How this could ever happen is beyond me; yet common sense isn’t common in lawmakers. Nothing of a person’s past should be on licenses. I thought this country believed in forgiveness and redemption except those with sex offenses. America the land of hypocrisy and run by unethical corrupt politicians.
This is insane why do the lady at the bank hideing behind bullet proof glass need to know about someone’s past.
It’s so obvious America has a hidden agenda behind this it’s so plan to see and sexofenders are the guinea pigs.
The U.S government knows most sexofenders are cut off from society most have no love one’s who support them
they are the most hated living creatures on earth and they can do whatever they want to them.
For all we know they probably have sexofenders in Laboratorys studying them like lab rats sounds far fetched I know but the U.S government’s biggest fear of sexofenders is they truly believe that sexofenders can’t be rehabilitated so I wouldn’t surprised if they’re studying on people find out if this is scientifically true
Good luck
IMO, the only reason laws like this exist is to allow a politician to put a feather in his/her hat and brag that they were tough on sex offenders. I don’t really think that all that much thought was put into it, and all the outrage you see on TV shown by politicians about sex offenders is ginned up for the cameras. Seems more like they’ll embrace whatever is the latest fear or concern that will get them re-elected.
I’m in Louisiana. Does that mean I won’t have to get a new license EVERY year (at full price) and a new ID EVERY year to satisfy the two forms of ID requirement?
This is great news! I was placed on the registry in Louisiana. It clearly states in the law, that the money that is paid into the yearly IDs, is to fund the state trooper retirement fund. My first thought is how can we SUE SUE SUE with this new ruling. I feel violated to the tenth degree. And have yet to talk with a person who thinks I should be on a registry. EVERYONE KNOWS it’s unconstitutional in its current form! It’s a JOKE. We watch Netflix in the rehabilitation class! On Halloween they make the tier 2 and tier 3 bring a blank money order to a location and sit all night. There is NO oversight, only PAY ME and then everything is ok. MERICA!
Here’s the court’s Opinion: https://www.lasc.org/Opinions/2020/20-0323.KA.OPN.pdf
From the National Office website comes this posting from King Alexander, atty in LA who deals with matters such as this for those who are forced to register:
Surprise ruling from Louisiana Supreme Court ends “Scarlet Letter” ID (https://narsol.org/2020/10/surprise-ruling-from-louisiana-supreme-court-ends-scarlet-letter-id/)
Megans law.is not good tool.to Drive you must be of legal age .but people allow children to go on adults computors and serf the intrnent they should be of legal age.just like Drive a car . MEGANS LAW IS LEGAL SLAVERY OF PEOPLE WHO PAID FOR THERE CRIMES.BEING PUNISH OVER AND OVER AND OVER FOR SAME CRIME.THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN WHO CAN FIX IT.DONALD TRUMP .BIDEN.OR GOD.THIS IS THE U.S.A NOT THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WAKE UP THIS IS A UNF
I just got off the phone with department of motor vehicles. As off January 4, they were notified if a SO walks in and request to have the drivers license branding removed they are to issue a new License. She said we now get a 4 year license but didn’t know if required to get a personal ID as well. Probably call your registration office. A win for the books