12. Sex offender records.

In Doe v. Poritz, 142 N.J. 1 (1995), the Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of two statutes concerning sex offenders that were enacted as part of a group of laws generally referred to as Megan's Law. The Registration Law, N.J.S.A. 2C:7-1 to :7-5, required that certain convicted sex offenders register with law enforcement authorities. The Community Notification Law, N.J.S.A. 2C:7-6 to :7-11, provided for notice to the community of the presence of such offenders.

In ruling that both laws were constitutional, the court held that the constitution did not prevent society from attempting to protect itself from convicted sex offenders, so long as the means of protection were reasonably designed for that purpose, and only for that purpose, and were not designed to punish. The court found, however, that appellant had a protectable liberty interest in his privacy and reputation, which triggered the right to due process. The court, therefore, concluded that a judicial hearing was constitutionally mandated prior to community notification under the Community Notification Law.