Hi there, welcome back to this discussion about how to try to get your name removed from the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. In the previous article we explained the fact that it can sometimes be done, and that anyone who is eligible really should pursue this option. As all convicted sex offenders realize, being a registered sex offender has huge negative implications in every area of life. So now we’d like to explain exactly what you’d need to know about eligibility, and the different factors that could affect your chances. The attorneys the The Kronzek Firm handle these SOR removal petitions all the time.
Your eligibility has to do with many different factors
There are many different things that come into play when it comes to meeting the eligibility requirements for removal from the registry. One of those has to do with your age and the age of your “victim.” In this case you could possibly be referred to as a “Romeo and Juliet offender.” Another factor that affects eligibility has to do with ‘Tiers’ which are the levels assigned to sex crimes registry in Michigan that rank the ‘violence’ level of the particular sex crime you were convicted of. All in all, it can be somewhat confusing, so we’re going to try to explain this in the least confusing way possible. Let’s start with a little Shakespeare…
“Romeo and Juliet” Offenders
It seems like a weird name for a type of sex offender, but if you’ve ever read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, then you’ll know that Juliet was only 13 when she met and fell in love with Romeo. And while Romeo’s age is never revealed, many Shakespearean scholars place him at about 16. So as you can see, she would have been too young for even consensual sex if they lived today in Michigan, despite their love for one another. That is where the name comes from for this type of offender.
According to Michigan’s current sex offender laws…
“Romeo and Juliet Relationships” involve consensual sexual conduct between a victim aged 13, 14, or 15 and another person who is less than four years older. Though sexual conduct with someone aged 13-15 is still a felony in Michigan, when the sex is consensual within the context of a relationship, violators aren’t placed on the sex offender registry, as long as the crimes fall into certain specific categories. For example:
- Anyone is a ‘Romeo and Juliet relationship’ who is being prosecuted for sodomy, gross indecency, first degree or third degree CSC, or assault with intent to commit first or third degree CSC, and the ‘crime’ happened after the new law was passed on July 1, 2011, you won’t be placed on Michigan’s sex offender registry unless the prosecutor objects to the claim that your sex crime happened as a consensual act between you and your relationship partner.
- If the prosecutor objects, you have to prove in court, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the sex crime you’re accused of was actually part of a “Romeo and Juliet Relationship,” and that you shouldn’t be labelled a sex offender.
How do I find out if I’m eligible for removal from the registry?
Simple. You download our application form here, fill it out completely, and then mail it to our offices with a money order or certified check for $90 (made payable to THE KRONZEK FIRM) in an envelope. Our mailing address is:
The Kronzek Firm PLC
420 South Waverly Road, #100
Lansing, Michigan 48917
We’ll review your record and get back to you within 10 days with information about your eligibility and what your options are. Please join us next time for a look at which tiers would make you eligible for removal from Michigan’s sex offender registry. Until then, if you’ve been accused of a sex crime, you need to call us immediately at 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) and get help from top rated and experienced sex crime defense attorneys. We have a long record of success! We’ve been fight sex crime charges for more than a quarter of a century, and we’re very good at it!