Attorneys Successful in Removing Barrow County Man from Sex Offender Registry

Monroe attorneys Crawford and Boyle reported that last week their law offices were successful in getting the name of a Barrow County man removed from the sex offender registry.

Although attempts to do so are not uncommon, the difference in this case was the man had ended up on the registry despite never having been convicted of any sexual or felony offense. According to a newsletter from the law firm, their client ended up on the registry as a result of a decision he made when he was young to have sex with someone under the age of consent.

“While she was fine with it, her mother was not, resulting in charges being brought,” the newsletter reads. “The client used first offender provisions to keep the charge from becoming a conviction; however, due to an unexpected wrinkle in the law, he was required to register as a sex offender for the next decade and a half, even though his case had been discharged (dismissed).”

Crawford and Boyle report they petitioned the Barrow County Superior Court and last week a judge agreed, signing an order that removed their client from the registry. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations then removed the man’s name from the registry. 

“This was certainly a victory over cookie-cutter / one-size-fits-all "justice,” the attorneys claim.

Do you think the law is correct as it stands because it requires petitioning on a case-by-case basis? Or is it too broad and requires refining to ensure cases like this don’t get mixed in with serious sex offenders?

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