Registry Matters Archives - Registry Matters

RM374: 45 Years Locked Up for What He Might Do

andy — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:59:00 +0000

This week on Registry Matters: A federal court finds that Illinois’s civil commitment program violates due process by warehousing people for up to 45 years without adequate treatment. Plus, we explore the paradox of legal challenges to registry regulations — when winning in court can trigger political backlash that produces even harsher laws. Show Notes […]

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RM373: ACSOL & PLF Challenge SORNA — The Win Was Already Won

andy — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:59:00 +0000

This week on Registry Matters: A court blocks the federal government from prosecuting registrants in California, ruling that state certification of registration requirements is a prerequisite. Plus, we examine a case where a retired law enforcement officer’s son was caught in a sting operation targeting fictitious victims and received what many consider disproportionate punishment. Show […]

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RM371: NC Court Upholds Online Identifier Law

andy — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:59:00 +0000

This week on Registry Matters: Mississippi legislators push a bill imposing the death penalty for child sexual battery — a penalty they know is unconstitutional — in a deliberate attempt to challenge Supreme Court precedent. Also on the docket, North Carolina’s court upholds mandatory online identifier reporting for registrants, a college basketball star’s own phone […]

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RM369: Can Kindness Become a Felony?

andy — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:59:00 +0000

This week on Registry Matters: A New Jersey appellate court delivers a significant ruling requiring states to perform a similarity analysis before charging out-of-state registrants with registry violations. We also examine a Fresno city council’s scramble to pass legislation blocking a registered person from running for office, and break down Wyoming’s proposed grooming felony bill […]

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RM368: Is Registration Really Not Punishment?

andy — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:59:00 +0000

On episode 368 of Registry Matters, Michigan’s House Bill 5425 threatens to broadly ban registered persons from working at any business serving minors with penalties that could cost taxpayers $200K per incarceration, Nebraska courts side with the state in ruling that retroactive registration extensions are mere civil regulations rather than criminal punishment protected by ex […]

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RM367: When “I Forgot” Fails in Court

andy — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:59:00 +0000

This week on Registry Matters: We explore a tense courtroom showdown in “When Rights Collide,” unpacking how judges balance the constitutional rights of registrants against public safety, victim advocacy, and political pressure. We also dive into the legal limits of “I forgot” as a defense when registrants miss deadlines or make reporting mistakes, and we […]

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RM366: Anonymous Speech vs. Child‑Protection Politics

andy — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 04:59:00 +0000

On this episode of Registry Matters, Florida pushes forward an expansive AI Bill of Rights that could reshape how the state regulates privacy, minors’ access, and government use of artificial intelligence, raising big questions about how citizens, advocates, and technologists can engage to keep innovation from trampling civil liberties and child protection, we break down […]

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RM365: Why SCOTUS Rejected ‘Civil’ Restitution

andy — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:59:00 +0000

On this episode of Registry Matters, we unpack why SORNA’s so‑called “affirmative defenses” for emergency international travel are dangerously vague, only kick in after you’ve already been charged, and shouldn’t give anyone false confidence about skipping that 21‑day notice without first getting expert legal advice, then pivot to a unanimous Supreme Court ruling that finally […]

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RM364: Parole Granted, Freedom Denied in Iowa

andy — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 04:59:00 +0000

On this episode of Registry Matters, we unpack how states dramatically differ on whether sex offender registration ever ends and why “time served” in one state often doesn’t mean freedom in another—especially if you move—then dive into how rigid 21‑day international travel notice laws collide with real‑world work trips and the constitutional right to travel, […]

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RM363: Compelled Speech and Halloween: A Landmark Ruling In Wisconsin

andy — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:59:00 +0000

On this episode of Registry Matters, Oklahoma’s mandatory life‑without‑parole sentences for repeat serious sex offenses come under scrutiny as we look at how they strip judges of discretion and saddle taxpayers with massive long‑term costs, we then move to Wisconsin where lifetime GPS monitoring for certain registrants is facing a major Fourth Amendment challenge at […]

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