Florida's sex offender registry laws are some of the most oppressive in the country.  In Florida, people who are required to register as sex offenders are generally required to register for life. Only a select group of individuals can file a petition to request to have their name removed from the Florida sex offender registry. Due to how serious prosecutors and law enforcement take sex crimes, the ability to be removed from the Florida sex offender registry is severely limited and only available in special circumstances under Florida law.

Those who have been convicted of a sex offense out-of-state and then move to Florida face similar restrictions for removal from the Florida sex offender registry, even if they are not required to register in the state of their conviction. This is true even for offenders who only travel to Florida for a short period of time and do not establish permanent residence in the state.

Florida law also does not provide for an offender to be removed from the State's sex offender registry upon a showing that the offender no longer maintains a permanent, temporary, or transient presence in Florida. Therefore, if a “Florida sex offender” moves out of state and never returns, his/her personal information will remain on the public Florida sex offender for the rest of that person's life.

Read the appeal.org's article Florida's Sex Offender Registry Proves Inescapable by Stephen Yoder, published on March 1, 2019.

Removal from the Florida Sex Offender Registry is Possible

The stigma of being registered on Florida's sex offender registry can have far-reaching effects on personal relationships, employment, and international travel. Ann Fitz has challenged the constitutionality of Florida's sex offender registration law on behalf of individuals who were either convicted out of state or no longer reside in Florida.

There is a 4-year statute of limitations in these cases, and the courts have determined that the statute begins to run from the date the offender is required to register in Florida. For those cases that are timely filed, Ann Fitz has been successful in advocating for the removal of her clients' information from the Florida sex offender registry.

If you believe you are wrongly registered on the Florida sex offender registry, contact Ann Fitz today at 561-932-1690.