The U. S. Supreme Court made a terrible mistake 20 years ago. As a result of that mistake, millions of Americans who are required to register and their families have been harmed, some even killed by vigilantes.
The mistake to which I refer is the decision, Smith v. Doe, in which the Court found that the requirement to register was the same as applying for membership in Price Club. That registration is an administrative requirement, not punishment, and therefore new sex offender laws could be passed and applied retroactively.
The Court was wrong 20 years ago and it is now time for the Court to admit its mistake.
And who would be better to lead that effort than Chief Justice John Roberts? The same John Roberts who argued during oral argument in Smith v. Doe that the requirement to register is the same as applying for membership in Price Club.
My best guess is that at the time John Roberts agreed to that statement he had never applied for membership in Price Club or any other large discount store. Because if he had applied for a Price Club membership, he would have known that the information required on that application would not include information about his employer, his car or his internet identifiers. He would also have known that the information required on that application would not be posted on a public website.
Also during oral argument, John Roberts stated that there is nothing burdensome about the requirement to register. Once again, my best guess is that John Roberts has never been required to register nor has he accompanied a person during the registration process.
As an observer of the registration process, I have seen law enforcement officials bully and threaten people with arrest during registration. I have also listened to countless registrants who fear, not celebrate, their upcoming birthdays because they must make their annual pilgrimage to their registration office.
The U. S. Supreme Court has made terrible mistakes in the past. For example, the Court decided in Plessy v. Ferguson that separate but equal educations were constitutional and that U.S. citizens of Japanese descent could be sent to internment camps. The Court later corrected those mistakes and it’s time, no it is past time, for the Court to correct the terrible mistake it made in Smith v. Doe.
Smith v. Doe must go!
It is because I feel so strongly about the need to overturn this case that I have decided to participate in a vigil on March 7 near the steps of the U. S. Supreme Court. When I participate in the vigil, I will not represent ACSOL, which has withdrawn its support for the event. Instead, I will participate in the vigil as a civil rights attorney.
We must educate the Court regarding the harm they have caused and we must demand that the Court overturn Smith v. Doe now! Please join me for what is certain to be a memorable event and perhaps a turning point.
Related article:
How SCOTUS Promoted Pernicious Myths About Sex Offender Registries [reason.com 3/1/23]
You’re right about the birthday thing. Mine is Christmas time and every year around Thanksgiving it starts to really grind on my mind that it’s time to register again.
Starting on December 1 I’ll start calling in the local PD to try and get an appointment. It usually takes a couple of weeks to get one setup because they’re not very responsive. And then I have to worry about which day it will be and if I can get the time off of work. Instead of taking time off from work for the holidays I have to take a day to go register.
That uncertainty about when the appointment will be also means I really can’t make family holiday plans.
Basically the holidays are ruined for me every year. It is especially cruel that your registration day is your birthday. It should be your conviction date instead.
DRAG QUEENS, recently a question was posed regarding, ( should there be a law against drag queens reading to children in schools and libraries ? ) I am absolutely appalled that some schools and libraries permit this. There should be a law against such a behavior, it should only be allowed in a private residence with signed agreement from the parents. I am so proud of the men who protested outside the Mich library that published the date and time for reading time by Drag Queens. A picture of the discusting man in a dress was published. Photo was cause to regurgitate lunch on library floor. I’ve sent numerous emails to city council and the police department to no avail. Has these men had background checks ? Are any of them wanted for criminal behavior ?
Thought this was relevant the 2:00-3:00 minute mark. How many people everyday are arrested on a failure to register charge for a conviction that occurred before the registry. What about there civil rights? Don’t know if she saw the protest in front of the court house. It would be nice if this is an acknowledgment of that
https://youtu.be/yJ_-Y52IhKo
Ms. Janice does Texas have a person in contact like yourself? Does the same work as you? If or not why wasn’t someone floating the idea that people that’s been on the registry for 30 years without any FTR’s or got arrested for any other felony charges can at least petition the court to at have a chance to get freedom? Texas Voices are not doing anything from what I can tell. It’s over 100k of people on the registry in Texas and not all of us needs to be on there. Can we get some help please.
We need the database driven SOR et. al. for the purpose of National Security!
A member of the Discord group where classified intelligence documents were leaked shares information on the man behind the leak, the contents of the files, and the online community.
I paraphrase now what some highly educated dumb ass said surrounding Alaska & Smith V Doe.
–I would think the American people can use a database for whatever that damn well choose.–
In other words, the condoning of unfettered application.
Boy 13 dies to TikTok challenge involving Benadryl, an allergy medication. So ooo you think it is a good idea to grant the people unfettered use of the database.
–I would think the people can utilize it any way the choose to use it.
And the American people imagine Supreme Court Justices are ” intelligent” people! And some who claim to be conservatives discarded the opportunity to keep database USE in check simply by upholding a long ratified agreement among the people to protect them from themselves.
If America factually had a problem with corporate interests running the show before the Internet & Citizens united, that disposition pales in comparison to what hold corporate interests have today on the status quo. Ultimately the problem with corporate interests is, more often than not, they’ll opt big K, rather than small k. Why? Machines don’t take time off. Because machines don’t take time off I will not check the I am not a bot procedure.
No registration is ok not saying that just making comparisons. Janice and everyone else are correct registration is designed to punish and control. Look at the current points Florida looking to have the death penalty for offenders and so much more. Prior registration systems are mentioned by Janice. I would add Jewish registration and slave registration such as the Negro Slave Act of 1740 and others. The NSA of 1740 included things such as location, names and family. As well as rules such as no associating, education and allowed owners the right to beat or even kill.
So much of this runs together. If it wasn’t for the stigma people shy away from I would say it’s time to start using political numbers. How many registered drunk drivers are there or ones for thieves? It’s all punishment and control.