Connecticut Department of Public Safety v. Doe - 538 U.S. 1 (2003)
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Connecticut Department of Public Safety v. Doe – 538 U.S. 1 (2003)

Procedural History: The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari to the United States Court of appeals for the Second Circuit on John Doe claim under 42 U.S.C 1983 that Connecticut’s sexual offender registration law violates the Due process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and disputing public disclosure of information contained in the registry.

Facts: Connecticut’s Megan’s law requires all persons convicted of sexual offenses to register with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) after being released from prison for the next 10 years or life. On an Internet Web site that is available to the public, the DPS requires a sex offender to registry his/her name, addresses and photographs. John Doe, a convicted sex offender who is subject to the law, filed suit 42 U.S.C 1983, claiming that the law violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause and he only wants to prove that he is not current dangerous and that Connecticut law’s registration does not apply.

Issue: Does the Connecticut’s Megan’s Law violate John Doe registrant’s right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment and how do you apply it to sex offender who was convicted before the Connecticut’s Megan’s Law was establish. Because John Doe was convicted before the law was passed, so such disclosure both deprived him (registered sex offenders) of a liberty interest and violated the Due Process Clause not granting a hearing to determine a registered sex offenders to be currently dangerous.
Ruling and Reasoning: The Second Circuit Court judgment was reversed because the Connecticut’s Megan’s Law violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.