The Supreme Court announced today that it has granted certification in two new cases, both involving Megan’s Law. The cases, In the Matter of J.A. and In the Matter of Registrant R.H. (consolidated with In the Matter of Registrant T.L.) present essentially the same question. As phrased by the Supreme Court Clerk’s office in J.A., that question is “Is the provision of N.J.S.A. 2C: -2(f) that prevents termination of Megan’s Law registration requirements if the registrant committed another offense within fifteen years constitutional when applied to juvenile offenders?” In J.A., a two-judge Appellate Division panel, in an unpublished per curiam opinion, affirmed the ruling of the Law Division that N.J.S.A. 2C:7-2(f), which made him ineligible to seek termination of Megan’s Law requirements because he had committed other crimes within fifteen years after having been found guilty of sexual assault, is unconstitutional. In R.H., a three-judge panel of the Appellate Division issued an opinion, reported at 475 N.J. Super. 460 (App. Div. 2023) and discussed here, that reached the same result, affirming the Law Division in the two cases there.
Two Megan’s Law Cases for the Supreme Court
