SCOTUS upholds retro part of sex offender law

[6andcounting]

(06-20-2019, 02:03 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This is a very technical ruling.

The US Attorney General made the federal sex offender registry requirements apply retro-actively to people who were convicted before the law required them to register in any state where they live.

Defendant argued that the Attorney General could not make this decision because it is up to Congress to pass laws.  But in this Court ruled that the law had already been passed by Congress and the AG was just using his authority to determine how it would be enforced when he made it apply retroactively.

From the technical standpoint of your explanation of the ruling, it makes sense to me.


Less on the ruling and more on the law itself....This guy was convicted in 2005 to 7 years in jail and the law was passed in 2006 so I can deduce he was still incarcerated when the law was passed. I can see him having register when he gets out. If someone's punishment was long over by 2006 and they didn't register I think they my have more of a fair point.  Retroactively adding punishment after your no longer in the court system and served your punishment would be unfair. I know we view offenders as people who can never be cured so no sympathy from me, but I can see the point.