Georgia is weighing legislation that would make it more difficult for people on the state’s sex offender registry (SOR) to get off it, as well as to relocate—whether attempting to move in from out of state or move from one part of the state to another. Personally I’m more interested in getting out of Georgia, but that’s beyond the scope of HB 430.
The bill pertains to registrants trying to move to a new county, potentially as they’re getting off the SOR. As of March 26, it appears to be in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It proposes a handful of brief changes to the state code covering SOR, mainly the following:
“Such petition [for removal from SOR] shall be served on the district attorney of the jurisdiction where the petition is filed, the sheriff of the county where the petition is filed, the sheriff of the county where the individual resides, the sheriff of the county of intended residence, and the chief superior court judge of the county of intended residence.”
Traditionally, courts abide by what’s called “subject matter jurisdiction.” Did the circumstances of the case arise in a given jurisdiction, or transpire there, or maybe involve a highway chase that crossed through there? If not, then the case is not that jurisdiction’s legal business.
I can see the argument for involving the sheriff of the other county, even though I don’t agree with it. But the chief judicial officer? AKA the most senior of the Superior Court judges for that county? What would that accomplish, other than adding confusion from creating potentially conflicting paperwork? And adding more filing fees, which you have to pay anytime you serve a legal action.
I assume the registry clock starts ticking once one enters probation in Georgia. The problem is that the probationary time is “booted up” for those on the registry. Seems like they get you one way or the other.