SCOPA - PARSOL - Pennsylvania Assoc for Rational Sex Offense Laws (PA Megan's Law Resources)

PARSOL decries Supreme Court of PA decision in Torsilieri appeal

May 31, 2024June 4, 2024

HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) decries the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s decision to reverse Chester County Judge Allison Bell Royer’s finding in the case of Comm. v. George Torsilieri that Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law Sex Offender Registration and the Notification Act (SORNA) are unconstitutional. Mr. Torsilieri and more than 23,000 Pennsylvanians will continue to…

PARSOL releases new report on autism, IDD, & sex offenses

April 11, 2024May 5, 2024

As Pennsylvania observes both Autism Acceptance Month and Sexual Assault Prevention Month this April, the Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) has released a new report focusing on individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other intellectual and developmental disabilities who are involved in sexual offense cases.

Attorneys Challenge Chester County Decision; What Happens Now?

September 14, 2022May 9, 2023

The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) has learned that attorneys for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) in the case Commonwealth v. Torsilieri. The appeal docket number is 97 MAP 2022. But didn’t SCOPA already send this for review? That’s correct. In June 2020, SCOPA remanded the…

Listen Now: Special Registry Matters Following Stunning ChesCo Decision

August 30, 2022September 12, 2022

Listen to PARSOL’s executive director on the Registry Matters Podcast about the recent Chester County ruling declaring SORNA Unconstitutional.

Ex Post Facto Challenges Fall Short

December 27, 2020September 28, 2022

We have seen it again. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court (SCOPA) has relied on Commonwealth v. Lacombe in the ruling of T.S. v. PA State Police (PSP). T.S. argued that PA’s SORNA Subchapter I violated the Federal and State Ex Post Facto Clauses. The basis of his argument is on the fact that his offense occurred prior to the enactment of…

Pennsylvania 2020 Legal Cases in Review

December 16, 2020September 28, 2022

2020 has turned out to be quite an eventful year to say the least. Lucky for you, I won’t be covering the pandemic nor the election. Instead, I’ll briefly cover the legal cases regarding SORNA and other relevant legal issues in Pennsylvania. So, hold on tight, here we go! PA Supreme Court: In the Interest of: N.B.-A., a Minor Decided…

A History of PA’s Public Sex Offender Registry, 1996-2019

April 25, 2020December 28, 2020

April 25th, 2020 The public sex offender registry has taken many twists and turns in the Commonwealth of PA. From Megan’s Law in 1996 to the first Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) in 2012, PA’s public sex offender has an intricate legal and legislative history. Every few years, a legal challenge is made to the details of how…

PA Supreme Court SVP Analysis: Butler and In re: H.R.

April 5, 2020February 5, 2021

PARSOL Sees Temporary Setback in SVP Cases. April 5, 2020. by Josiah. We have seen two temporary setbacks in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA). The recent rulings of Com. v. Joseph D. Butler and In the Interest of: H.R., A Minor left us disappointed. However, we see an opportunity to directly win this battle thanks to, ironically enough, SCOPA…