In re Hall, 238 N.C. App. 322 (Dec. 31, 2014)

(1) The trial court did not err by relying on the federal SORNA statute to deny the defendant’s petition to terminate his sex offender registration. The language of G.S. 14-208.12A shows a clear intent by the legislature to incorporate the requirements of SORNA into NC’s statutory provisions governing the sex offender registration process and to retroactively apply those provisions to sex offenders currently on the registry. (2) The retroactive application of SORNA does not constitute an ex post facto violation. The court noted that it is well established that G.S. 14-208.12A creates a “non-punitive civil regulatory scheme.” It went on to reject the defendant’s argument that the statutory scheme is so punitive as to negate the legislature’s civil intent.