But before posting, please make sure what you’re posting is actually true and not hallucinated garbage. The same goes with statistics. If you are going to share statistics, make sure you cite to the source you are getting it from or it will be removed.

This week, the Eleventh Circuit summed it up perfectly in Akerlund et al. v. Atlas Air, Inc. after an attorney filed a brief full of made-up cases generated by AI, “Whatever the merits of artificial intelligence, it is no substitute for actual intelligence.” That lawyer didn’t just frustrate the court, screwed up his client’s appeal and ended up being referred to the Bar’s disciplinary committee.

Now, we’re obviously not a court, and the FAC forum isn’t a place for legal advice. But people do come here looking for information, and they trust what they read. That means we all have a responsibility to keep the information shared here accurate.

We love seeing members jump in, answer questions, and share what they’ve learned. That’s what makes this community so valuable. If you’re using AI to help write a comment, just do everyone a favor and spend a few extra minutes checking any cases, statutes, quotes, or “facts” before you post them. AI has a bad habit of sounding incredibly confident even when it’s completely wrong.

Lately, our moderators have been spending way too much time checking citations, verifying information, and deleting comments with AI-generated errors or completely made-up legal authorities. We’d much rather spend that time helping members and keeping the conversation moving. So by all means, use AI. Just don’t let AI do your thinking for you.

Thanks for helping keep FAC a place where people can count on the information being shared.

The post A Quick Reminder About Using AI appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The U.S. Marshals Service recently announced the completion of Operation Adam’s Watch, a nationwide enforcement initiative conducted in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Adam Walsh Act. The operation concluded on July 24, 2026 – just in time for the anniversary on July 27th, and involved 37 federal judicial districts across Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. According to the Marshals Service, the operation resulted in the arrest of more than 330 fugitives wanted for failure to register as sex offenders.

No one disputes that people should comply with the law. Some might even say that if it recovered just one person who failed to register it was all worthwhile. But considering the enormous amount of manpower and resources dedicated to a nationwide, multi-week operation spanning 37 federal districts, 330 arrests is hardly the sweeping public safety success the headlines might suggest. More importantly, pretty much all of the enforcement actions FAC has observed in recent months have involved technical registration violations—such as failing to timely report a new vehicle registration, missing a reporting deadline, or other paperwork-related offenses—rather than allegations of new sexual crimes.

The Marshals Service press release includes the following statement from Callahan Walsh, Executive Director of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: “As we observe Adam Walsh Remembrance Day and the 20th anniversary of the Adam Walsh Act, I’m reminded that my brother’s legacy isn’t defined by what happened to him, but by the lives that continue to be protected because people refused to let his story end in tragedy. Every time the U.S. Marshals Service apprehends an offender who threatens children, every time NCMEC helps law enforcement recover a missing child or support an investigation, we’re carrying that legacy forward. Together, we’re proving that the strongest tool we have to protect children is partnership.”

But does every failure-to-register case represent something that “threatens children”? Registration enforcement frequently involves technical compliance issues rather than conduct suggesting an imminent threat to children. Conflating paperwork violations with dangerous criminal behavior risks misleading the public about what these operations actually accomplish.

Likewise, while the statement references helping law enforcement recover missing children, the nationwide announcement for Operation Adam’s Watch does not report that the operation resulted in the recovery of any missing children. Instead, the operation was described as an effort focused on locating individuals wanted for registration violations.

For two decades, the Adam Walsh Act has been justified as a measure to improve public safety and protect children. Yet enforcement campaigns like Operation Adam’s Watch continue to emphasize registration compliance while providing little evidence that such large-scale operations reduce sexual offending or improve child safety.

It kinda makes you want to ask whether all the hype, including in Osceola, FL, where 20% of the entire registrant population was arrested was really about public safety or public relations.

The post “Operation Adam’s Watch” Likely the catalyst for the uptick in enforcement actions appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The Pawleys Island Community Church case shows how this dynamic is expanding. Warren Perry, a registered offender on probation with conditions barring contact with minors, volunteered for years as a custodian at a church-run school after allegedly misrepresenting his work environment to his supervising agent.

Even though no child was harmed (subsequent to his original offense that landed him on the registry), family and community members are filing lawsuits left and right. What’s now the fifth such lawsuit in the case is breaking new ground: it names South Carolina’s probation agency itself, alleging the state failed to adequately supervise and enforce Perry’s conditions.

When a supervising agency can be sued for a registrant’s violation, the institutional response isn’t “supervise this one case more carefully”. It’s tightening default conditions across the entire caseload: more disclosure, tighter restrictions, less discretion for officers. That defensive posture falls hardest on registrants who are complying and pose low risk, because blanket restriction is the only strategy that protects the agency from the next lawsuit.

Most states recognize a “negligent hiring” or “negligent retention” claim: an employer can be sued if it “knew or should have known” an employee posed an unreasonable risk and harm results. The standard is broad enough that the mere fact of a registry listing is often enough to trigger a claim, regardless of the offense’s nature, age, or the person’s actual assessed risk.

Faced with that exposure, the rational move for most employers and landlords isn’t individualized risk assessment — it’s blanket avoidance. But liability exposure doesn’t filter out dangerous placements and allow safe ones through; it filters out registrants indiscriminately, because that’s the only strategy that eliminates this legal risk entirely.

A liability regime that makes employers, landlords, and probation agencies risk-averse toward registrants as a class — rather than individually assessed — doesn’t prevent harm. It actually manufactures the instability that makes reoffending more likely.

So what can be done to stop the ambulance chasers from stepping in and suing everyone who chose to give a registrant a chance?

One idea might be imposing safe-harbor provisions into law, limiting negligent-hiring liability where an employer conducted a reasonable individualized assessment and followed disclosed conditions.

Another can be government sponsored bonding programs. These are already used in some states to offset employer risk for hiring people with criminal records. It just needs to be extended to registrants in appropriate roles.

Third is statutory clarity on agency liability that distinguishes systemic supervision failure from the inherent unpredictability of human behavior. When it comes to any crime, we know that some percentage will re-offend. Does that mean we never let anyone out of prison ever?

We get that not every job placement carries equal risk. Maybe allowing this guy to volunteer as a custodian in the Church’s school wasn’t a good idea. Perhaps limiting his access to adult services or landscaping after-hours would have been better? But this isn’t about any one situation, just the general concept of making the financial exposure for hiring or housing anyone on the registry, under any circumstances, so severe that nobody would take the risk. It’s not good for anyone. The only ones getting hurt by not placing limitations on liability are the ones who are trying to do right and the good people willing to give them a chance. If you punish good-faith compliance and cautious supervision the same way you punish crimes and cover-ups, it’s a policy failure, not a safety win.

The post Third-Party Lawsuits Are Closing Doors on Registrants appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

In preparation for our forthcoming lawsuit, we examined the patchwork of County and municipal ordinances that were adopted on top of the already severely restrictive state law, to analyze their cumulative effect on persons forced to register. In doing so, Brevard came up and just out of curiosity, we did a quick check to see what businesses self-certified themselves as parks.

Now you’d think these “places where children gather and recreation occurs” might logically include an arcade, a roller skating rink, maybe a comic book store or a martial arts studio that has an after-school program. But here are just some of the businesses that signed up:

• Stella Maris Environmental Research, which is “a 501(c)(3) not for-profit environmental research organization focused on bringing attention and solutions to current environmental issues with community action”. They are located at 155 Duval St, Melbourne Beach, 32951, which according to Zillow is a 1800 Square Feet 4 bedroom, 2 bath single family home. It’s a residence.

• The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra. Really? The symphony orchestra? I guess there’s no Beethoven for us.

• Flomazin Lifestyle Apparel. According to their website, “Flomazin is the Florida based lifestyle brand that drives your passion to manifest your dreams and live your best life.” Guess who can’t live their best life? The address that we need to stay 1000 feet away from is 918 Aventine Dr, West Melbourne, 32904, which is an apartment in “Aventine at West Melbourne”, which features one to three-bedrooms with rent ranges from $1,315/mo. to $2,280/mo. Curious to know what kind of recreation is occurring at an online clothing retailer who ironically sells a line called “the Flasher” (https://flomazin.com/products/flasher)? Can’t make this stuff up!

• How about Cape Canaveral Scientific, Inc., a grant writing company that “specializes in solving stormwater and water resource problems by leveraging and acquiring supplemental grant and legislative funding for our clients.” How many children are congregating and recreating at a grant writing business? Oh, and their address is 220 Surf Rd, Melbourne Beach, 32951, a 1834 Square Feet single family home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Come on! Brevard is just letting anyone who decides they don’t want someone they consider undesireable coming within 1000 feet to call themselves a “park”. Apparently, in Brevard, the solution to the NIMBY problem is just say you’re a “park” and you get to create an exclusion zone that infringes on the freedom of movement of thousands of people.

A few years ago, Brevard had to pay out $157,500 to settle another FAC-initiated lawsuit. Maybe it’s time for another?

The post The “Brevard County Business Self-Certification Registry” is ridiculous! appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Amended Pleadings due by 10/1/2026
Joinder of Parties due by 10/1/2026
Moving for class certification due by 12/21/2026
Plaintiff disclosure of expert report due by 1/25/2027
Defendant disclosure of expert report due by 3/1/2027
Discovery due by 5/24/2027
Dispositive motions due by 7/23/2027
Conduct mediation hearing by 9/29/2027
All other motions due by 11/17/2027
Pretrial statement due by 12/8/2027
Final Pretrial Conference set for 12/15/2027 at 3:00 PM in Jacksonville Courtroom 10 A before Judge Jordan Emery Pratt
Jury Trial set for trial term commencing 1/3/2028 at 9:00 AM in Jacksonville Courtroom 10 A before Judge Jordan Emery Pratt.

While the trial date may seem a bit far off, remember that this is Federal litigation, a class action and there is always the opportunity to resolve the litigation through mediation or other dispositive motions.

The post Case Schedule Set in Putnam County Lawsuit appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has announced it is beginning a nationwide rollout of secure electronic tablets for incarcerated individuals. The tablets are expected to provide access to secure messaging, educational and vocational programming, reentry resources, faith-based content, health information, and other institutional services. The rollout will occur in phases, so availability will vary by facility. (forbes.com)

Research has consistently shown that maintaining family connections during incarceration improves outcomes after release, making this a welcome step toward better communication and rehabilitation.

If your family member is in federal prison, keep an eye out for updates from their institution. As the BOP releases more information about the rollout and available services, the Florida Action Committee will keep our members informed.

SOURCE

The post BOP to Give Federal Inmates Tablets appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

The law was passed with the stated goal of improving public safety and protecting children. Two decades later, however, its legacy has been one of ever-expanding registration requirements, lifetime public shaming, and collateral consequences that extend far beyond any criminal sentence.

Across the country, hundreds of thousands of people have been subjected to housing restrictions, employment barriers, instability, social isolation, and perpetual punishment — often with no meaningful opportunity to demonstrate rehabilitation or earn relief. Families have paid the price as well, with spouses, children, and parents bearing the emotional and financial burdens created by these policies.

Since the Adam Walsh Act became law, study after study has questioned whether broad public registries and increasingly restrictive laws actually reduce sexual offending or improve public safety. At the same time, these policies have consumed enormous public resources while making successful reintegration far more difficult — despite the fact that stable housing, employment, family support, and treatment are among the strongest factors associated with reducing reoffending.

Twenty years later, it is time to ask whether laws should continue to be driven by fear and politics or by evidence and fairness. Protecting children and respecting constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive. Public safety is best served by policies grounded in research, individualized risk assessment, and meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation—not by one-size-fits-all laws that punish people long after they have completed their sentences.

At Florida Action Committee, we remain committed to advocating for reforms that are effective, constitutional, and evidence-based. On this anniversary, we remember that real public safety comes from smart policy—not perpetual punishment. The Adam Walsh Act should not be expanded, defended, or treated as untouchable. It should be acknowledged for what it is: a failed experiment in public policy that has come at an enormous human and financial cost. Twenty years is long enough. It is time to abolish the Adam Walsh Act and replace it with policies that are based on science, fairness, and what actually makes communities safer.

The post Twenty Years of the Adam Walsh Act: Time to Reevaluate appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

Yesterday, Watson was arrested during a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office “compliance sweep” picked up along with other registrants on registration-related violations under §943.0435(9)(a). Reports indicate she’s charged with a felony sex offender violation for failure to register as required, and as of early reporting she was being held without bond.

Watson’s underlying case dates back to 2009. She served roughly a year in prison, followed by community control and probation, and has been on the registry ever since. She rebuilt a career, earned her employer’s confidence, and was on the verge of a promotion earned through years of service.

That’s the part of this story worth sitting with. It doesn’t matter how long someone has complied with registry requirements, how much community trust they’ve rebuilt, or how far removed they are from the offense that put them there the moment a registrant’s name becomes newsworthy again, scrutiny intensifies, and the margin for error collapses to zero. A paperwork or registration misstep that might draw little attention for anyone else becomes a felony arrest and a headline for a registrant, timed right as their career was about to advance.

This is what FAC means when we talk about the registry as a life sentence. It isn’t just the residency restrictions or the community notification it’s the fact that decades of demonstrated compliance and community contribution can be undone in a single sweep, right when someone is finally succeeding.

Her arrest affidavit hasn’t been posted to the docket yet, but we’re sure that all we’ll see is some technical oversight and certainly not a new sex charge (or that would be in the arrest records. We’ll continue to track Watson’s case as it develops.

The post Another Registrant, Another Reminder: The System Isn’t Built for Second Chances appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In what lawmakers are calling “the next logical step in public safety,” the Florida Legislature has overwhelmingly approved a bill requiring all former bank robbers to register every mask they own with local law enforcement.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Plankton, comes in response to last month’s shocking robbery of the First National Bank of Nowhere, where investigators say the suspect was wearing a Scooby-Doo mask. “Floridians deserve to know if someone who once robbed a bank decides to purchase a Halloween costume,” Sen. Plankton said during debate. “If we can register boats, trailers, and every other aspect of their lives, why wouldn’t we register masks? Public safety demands it.”

The bill received enthusiastic support from the Sheriff of Semen-hole County, who praised the proposal. “It was just common sense,” the sheriff said. “We’ve already prohibited former bank robbers from living within 2,500 feet of any bank or ATM. They’re already prohibited from possessing any currency whatsoever. Registering masks is simply a missing piece of the puzzle.”

Under the new law, former bank robbers must report every mask they own — including Halloween masks, ski masks, and theatrical masks – within 48 hours of acquiring them. If their wife, child, parent, roommate, anyone in their apartment complex, or anyone visiting their home for more than 5 days owns a costume, they have to be registered also. Failure to report a mask is a third-degree felony.

Lawmakers insist the measure will prevent future crimes, but not everyone is convinced.

Former bank robber Eric Rogue questioned the proposal’s practicality. “These Florida politicians are morons,” Rogue said. “If someone is intent on robbing a bank, do you really think they’re going to walk into the sheriff’s office on Monday and say, ‘Hey, I just bought a Disney Princess mask,’ and then on Tuesday Snow White strolls up to the teller? Nobody is that stupid! It’s the same philosophy as putting stolen tags on their cars. And what’s with the boat thing? Has anyone pulled up to a drive-thru teller in a F-ing Jet Ski?”

Supporters dismissed the criticism, arguing that when planning bank robberies, people have historically been known for carefully following administrative reporting requirements when committing felonies.

Meanwhile, authorities in nearby Oscelating County celebrated the success of a major enforcement operation dubbed “Operation Keep the Change,” which resulted in the arrest of more than 100 former bank robbers for violations of Florida’s ever-expanding regulatory scheme. At a press conference announcing the results, the county sheriff highlighted several of the operation’s most dangerous offenders. “One man went as far as to hide a quarter deep in his couch cushion and claim it must have fallen there decades ago,” the sheriff said. “This kind of deception demonstrates exactly why these laws are necessary.”

Legislators who feel the new amendment hasn’t gone far enough have already hinted at additional public safety measures for next session, including mandatory registration of fake mustaches, clown noses, and Groucho Marx glasses, citing concerns that “disguises continue to evolve.”

The post Florida Legislature Tackles Mask Menace with New “Former Bank Robber Mask Amendment” appeared first on Florida Action Committee (FAC).

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