By Maria Altman, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Missouri's attorney general says Tuesda's ruling from the state's Supreme Court means all sex offenders in the state will have to register.
Ten anonymous sex offenders had sued the state claiming they should not have to register because they were convicted out of state before Missouri's registration law went into effect in January 1995.
A trial court ruled in their favor.
But the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously overturned that decision Tuesday saying a 2006 federal law already requires sex offenders register irrespective of the state law.
Attorney General Chris Koster says in his office's view that trumps prior rulings allowing sex offenders not to register because they were convicted before the Missouri registration law.
"Offenders who committed their crimes prior to 1995 have to go back and put their names on the list," Koster said.
Attorney Jamie Lansford represented the plaintiffs in the recent case and says further state litigation may be needed to resolve the issue.
And she says they're considering an appeal over the federal law's supremacy.