Reynolds v. United States

Holding: The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act does not require pre-Act offenders to register before the Attorney General validly specifies that the Act’s registration provi­sions apply to them.

Plain English Holding: The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act does not, by itself, automatically require sex offenders who were convicted before the Act went into effect to register with police in the areas where they live and work. Instead, those sex offenders are only required to register once the Attorney General of the United States has issued a valid rule requiring them to register.

Judgment: Reversed, 7-2, in an opinion by Justice Breyer on January 23, 2012. Justice Scalia filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Ginsburg.

Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs for the Petitioner

• Brief of petitioner Billy Joe Reynolds
• Reply brief for Petitioner Billy Joe Reynolds

Merits Briefs for the Respondent

• Brief for respondent the United States
  

Certiorari-stage documents

• Opinion below (3d Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief of the United States in Opposition
• Petitioner's reply
• Response to Solicitor General's letter
• Letter from the Solicitor General