Michigan Supreme Court ruling strips 20,000 names from sex offender registry, including Larry Nassar

Key points

• The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on September 9 that SORA amendments cannot be used retroactively for offenses committed before July 1, 2011.
• The Michigan State Police removed more than 20,000 names from the public registry, including Larry Nassar, who is currently serving decades in prison for sexual assault and child pornography charges.
• Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, a candidate for Michigan Attorney General, criticized the ruling, stating it removes a measure of protection for the community and victims.
• Survivor advocates, including Grace French of The Assist, described the removal as an 'institutional betrayal' and expressed concern that the public database is no longer a reliable safety tool.
• The ruling does not affect Nassar's underlying convictions; he remains required to register as a sex offender if he is ever released from prison.

Background

This development follows a December 2025 ruling in People v. Kardasz, where the Michigan Supreme Court determined that the 2021 version of the registry functions as criminal punishment rather than a civil safety measure. The current ruling extends that logic to pre-2011 offenses. In 2021, the court had previously struck down an earlier version of the registry for similar retroactivity issues. Larry Nassar was convicted in 2018 of sexually abusing hundreds of athletes while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.

How outlets are covering it

WXYZ 7 News and The Washington Post reported the removal as a direct result of the Supreme Court's ruling, focusing on the scale of the registry purge. USA Today provided detailed background on Nassar's sentences and the legal challenges to SORA. WILX emphasized the emotional and practical impact on survivors and families, highlighting the lack of a replacement law. Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, via WXYZ and USA Today, strongly opposed the ruling, calling it a 'chainsaw' approach that removes community protections. Survivor advocates, via WILX, expressed feelings of betrayal and disorientation, noting that the registry's removal undermines their sense of safety despite Nassar remaining incarcerated.

Why it matters

The removal of 20,000 names from the public sex offender registry raises significant public safety concerns, particularly for families and communities that rely on the database for awareness and protection. The ruling highlights the ongoing legal and political struggle over the balance between civil rights and public safety in sex offender registration laws. It also underscores the need for the Michigan Legislature to develop a new, constitutionally sound registry law, a process that has not yet been initiated.

What to watch

The Michigan Legislature is expected to draft a new sex offender registration law, but no timeline has been set. Legal experts note that, unlike in 2021, there is currently no replacement law ready. Community organizations are urging families to remain vigilant and not rely solely on the registry for safety. The legal status of the registry for post-2011 offenses remains intact, but the public database is now significantly reduced.