***MEDIA ADVISORY**
WHAT:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) legal team will be in court for a hearing before U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. regarding the future of Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA). ACLU of Michigan Senior Staff Attorney Miriam Aukerman, and families impacted by SORA who wish to remain anonymous, will address media outlets together outside of the courthouse immediately after the hearing.
In 2016, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled SORA unconstitutional, then returned the case to the U.S. District Court. In 2018 the ACLU, with the University of Michigan Clinical Law Program and the Oliver Law Group, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Michigan’s registrants arguing it is unconstitutional to impose new severe restrictions on people long after they were convicted with past offenses. Last year Judge Cleland gave the Michigan legislature 90 days to bring SORA into compliance with the constitution.
The ACLU argues SORA is ineffective punishment that makes Michigan communities less safe by making it impossible for law enforcement to monitor 44,000 people while making it difficult for victims to report abuse and for registrants to re-enter society in a positive way, ultimately diverting resources from preventative programs.
Michigan has the fourth largest registry nationwide with nearly 44,000 registrants.
WHO:
Miriam Aukerman, ACLU of Michigan senior staff attorney
WHEN:
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, immediately after the 2 p.m. hearing
WHERE:
Outside the entrance of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan located at 526 Water Street, Port Huron, MI 48060.
