Having to register as a sex offender is one of the worst consequences of getting convicted for a sex offense. It brands you in the eyes of the public. It prevents you from working in certain occupations and living in certain places. And your Tennessee driver's license will be tagged to indicate that you are an offender.
In some cases, listing on the sex offender registry is permanent. But if they qualify, some people can get their names removed from the list. You can ask the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or your registering agency to remove your name from the Tennessee sex offender registry in these circumstances:
- You were convicted of statutory rape and there was less than a ten-year age differential between you and the victim at the time of the offense.
- You have a conviction that is classified as "sexual", it has been 10 years since your conviction and you have been on the sex offender registry for five years or longer.
- Your conviction was overturned.
- You withdrew your guilty plea.
- Your petition for post-conviction relief has been granted.
- Your conviction has been expunged in Tennessee or another state.
- You are on the Tennessee sex offender registry only because you were required to be on the registry in another state, and you have been removed from that state's registry.
- Your case was adjudicated in juvenile court, you have reached the age of 25 and you have not been convicted of any other qualifying offense since your original conviction.
To find out for sure if you are eligible for removal, speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you are eligible, he or she can gather the required proof and seek the removal of your name from the registry.