Michigan Supreme Court ruling strips Nassar and 20,000 others from sex offender registry

Key points

• The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on Sept. 9 that the 2011 amendments to the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) cannot be applied retroactively to offenders whose crimes occurred before July 1, 2011.
• Following the ruling, Michigan State Police removed more than 20,000 names from the public online registry, including Larry Nassar, who is currently serving decades-long sentences for sexually abusing athletes.
• Nassar is currently incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary Lewisburg in Pennsylvania and remains legally required to register as a sex offender if he is ever released from prison.
• The Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office criticized the decision, stating that the removal of names eliminates a measure of protection and awareness for communities and victims.
• Survivor advocates, including Grace French of The Assist, described the removal as an 'institutional betrayal' and expressed concern that survivor safety is being deprioritized.

Background

This development follows a series of legal challenges to Michigan’s sex offender registry laws. In 2021, the state Supreme Court struck down an earlier version of the registry for retroactive application. In December 2025, the court ruled in People v. Kardasz that the 2021 version functioned as criminal punishment rather than a civil safety measure. The current ruling addresses whether that finding applies to pre-2011 offenders, resulting in the mass removal of names. Larry Nassar, who abused hundreds of athletes while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, was sentenced in 2018 to 40-to-175 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct.

How outlets are covering it

Outlets generally agree on the factual outcome: the removal of over 20,000 names, including Nassar, due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on retroactivity. However, they emphasize different aspects of the fallout. USA Today and WXYZ focus on the legal mechanics and the specific impact on Nassar’s case, noting that his convictions remain intact. The Washington Post highlights the scale of the removal and the court’s role. WILX provides a more nuanced view, including a clarification from Michigan State Police that Nassar was not technically 'removed' because he is not domiciled in Michigan, but rather that he was never required to register there while incarcerated out of state. WILX also gives significant weight to the emotional and practical impact on survivors and community safety, quoting advocates who feel betrayed by the legal technicality. The Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office, cited by multiple outlets, strongly criticized the ruling as a dangerous step backward for public safety.

Why it matters

The removal of thousands of names from a public safety registry raises significant concerns about community awareness and the protection of vulnerable populations, particularly children. The case of Larry Nassar, a high-profile offender who abused elite athletes, underscores the potential consequences of legal rulings that prioritize constitutional technicalities over public safety measures. The lack of a ready replacement law in the legislature adds urgency to the issue, as communities may now lack a reliable tool for monitoring known sex offenders in their neighborhoods.

What to watch

The Michigan Legislature is expected to draft a new sex offender registry law, though no timeline has been set. Legal experts note that, unlike in 2021, there is currently no replacement law ready. In the interim, community advocates are urging residents to rely on personal vigilance and education rather than the registry for child safety. Nassar remains in federal custody in Pennsylvania and will not be eligible for release for decades, but his status as a registered sex offender will be reinstated if he is ever domiciled in Michigan.