March 21, 2013
By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri Supreme Court Friday upheld the state's sex offender registry, but not for those convicted before the law was passed.
The court decided the law was constitutional, saying it does not violate offenders' rights to due process and equal protection. The court did rule, however, that anyone convicted before the law took effect in January 1995 does not have to register.
The exceptions to the court's ruling are sexually violent predators. Those offenders are determined sexually violent through a separate court proceeding and must register, no matter when they were convicted.
According to the court, with today's ruling, ten of the eleven people who sued over the law are no longer required to register.