Can You Get Your Name Removed from the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry?

In Wisconsin, those who are convicted of certain sex crimes are required to register as sex offenders. This means that anyone in the general public can go online and see:

●    Your address

●    The offense that you were convicted of

●    The vehicle that you drive

In addition, your neighbors will get a notice anytime that you move into a neighborhood. Even people who have never met you will be suspicious around you and may actively avoid you. Prospective employers can also search the registry to see the details of a conviction.

Sex Offender Registration Means that the Conviction Follows You

Simply stated, the sex offender registry is a way that a conviction can and will follow you for life. We often have clients coming to us asking if there is any way that they can remove their names from the registry. In most cases, the answer is no, but there are some limited exceptions.

First, the best way to ensure that your name does not go on the sex offender registry is to fight the charges. You can either win your case at trial or file a successful appeal. The sex offender registry is one reason why we counsel clients to think of all the collateral effects before pleading guilty.

Wisconsin has made it much more difficult for people to get their names off the sex offender registry. The general requirement is that people register for life if certain circumstances apply. These include:

●    First and second-degree sexual assault

●    Repeated sexual assault of a child

●    Being convicted of sexual assaults on two or more occasions

If none of the statutory requirements apply, the registration is limited to 15 years. Then, it would expire, and the person would be removed. A recent interpretation from the Wisconsin Attorney General has made it more difficult by requiring lifetime registration if the person was convicted of two or more counts from the same conduct.

However, there is a process that allows you to petition for removal from the lifetime sex offender registry if you have had 15 or more years without any other incidents. This will only be allowed if you have not been convicted of certain serious sex crimes. You would need to show the court that you are no longer a danger requiring supervision. This type of petition would need the help of an attorney who could try to persuade the court to change this aspect of your sentence.

While getting removed from a sex offender registry is not always easy, it may be worth the effort given the consequences. Given that registration is for generally 15 years after you have served any jail sentence, you would likely be ready to move on with your life at that point.