In the US District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, Greenwald v Cantrell, et al poses fascinating, real world challenges to the unending limits of SORNA.  

 

The individual involved is a PFR who suffers from seizures to such extent that she has been declared to be an “unrestorable incompetent.”  This health condition caused her to be unable to grasp her registration requirements.  Repeated failures to register led to repeated arrests with no relief from repeating the same in the future.

 

The Defendants included officials from the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana tasked with administering SORNA in the city.  The discretion these individuals use to not prosecute homeless registered peoples is being challenged when it is decidedly not used in choosing to aggressively prosecute an individual incapable of understanding their registration obligations.

 

The plaintiff filed suit seeking relief and damages.  Her claims for damages failed and some relief claims failed with prejudice.  Her claim of substantive due process failure was granted.  On appeal from the Defendants, the plaintiff restated their request to continue to fight for a procedural due process claim; her substantive due process claim and; she amended the complaint to add an ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) claim.  The ADA claim was granted owing to the fact accommodations for this condition are required but have been rigidly rejected by the defendants.. 

 

SORNA challenges with 5th and 12th amendment claims and potentially seeing it fall under ADA requirements demonstrate that it cannot remain ring fenced from the Constitution and other federal laws. 

 

Order amended with ADA claim

 

Order granting 5th Amendment claim

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