Pennsylvania Megan’s Law can be confusing. Check out our Top 10 Facts about SORNA in PA.
Read More10 Important and Surprising Facts about Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law
Tag: SORNA
Judge says PA SORNA Overbroad & Unconstitutional in Chester County
Learn about Chester County Court Judge Allison Bell Royer’s ruling that Pennsylvania’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is unconstitutional.
Read MoreThe Costs of Maintaining PA’s Sex Offender Registry
It may be impossible to tally the true costs of PA’s sex offender registry. Please see our letter to the Legislature about the monetary and personpower costs associated with compliance with federal standards for sex offender notification and registration. PDF of our outreach to Members. The letter is formatted for the general public to utilize. If you have concerns about…
Read MorePennsylvania 2020 Legal Cases in Review
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…
Read MoreA good idea gone bad: How the PA Senate sabotaged the sexual abuse prevention plan
By Randall Hayes In September 2019, the increasingly prevalent and in-demand problem of online images of child sexual abuse (CSA) or “child pornography” rocked the Senate of Pennsylvania in a big way. The influential Chairman of the State Government Committee, Senator Mike Folmer, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography after uploading an image of an underage female…
Read MorePA Supreme Court’s Backwards Ruling in Lacombe and Witmayer
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (SCOPA) heard oral arguments in a consolidated case of Mr. Claude Lacombe and Mr. Michael Witmayer in November of 2019 challenging the constitutionality of Subchapter I of PA’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). SCOPA ruled Subchapter I is “non-punitive and does not violate the constitutional prohibition against ex post facto laws”. This is…
Read MorePennsylvania Supreme Court rejects SORNA challenge
By Larry of NARSOL. . . In these consolidated appeals, Commonwealth v. Lacombe and Commonwealth v. Witmayer, the Commonwealth (state) challenged orders of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas relieving appellees Claude Lacombe and Michael Witmayer of their duties to comply with Subchapter I of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. To achieve its dual goals of ensuring public safety…
Read MoreCommonwealth of Pa. v. Torsilieri: SORNA Scientific Evidentiary Showdown
The PA Supreme Court (SCOPA) filed their opinions on Com. v. George Torsilieri on June 16 regarding the constitutionality of PA’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) Revised Subchapter H. Mr. Torsilieri and his attorneys argued that SORNA is based on outdated legislative findings and presented current scientific evidence refuting the accuracy of those findings. The majority opinion was…
Read MoreA History of PA’s Public Sex Offender Registry, 1996-2019
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…
Read More*Update 4-8-’20* IN-PERSON REGISTRATION TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED IN PA
In-person registration in PA has been suspended. See below. This is from the PA Megan’s Law Website: ***INFORMATION REGARDING REGISTRATIONS DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY*** Due to the COVID-19 Emergency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in-person reporting is being temporarily suspended. In order to allow registrants to remain compliant with registration requirements and to expedite the processing of information, only residential,…
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