In re Hamilton, 220 N.C. App. 350 (May. 1, 2012)

(1) Amendments to the sex offender registration scheme’s period of registration and automatic termination provision made after the defendant was required to register applied to the defendant. When the defendant was required to register in 2001, he was subject to a ten-year registration requirement which automatically terminated if he did not re-offend. In 2006 the registration statutes were amended to provide that registration could continue beyond ten years, even when the registrant had not reoffended. Also, the automatic termination language was deleted and a new provision was added providing that persons wishing to terminate registration must petition the superior court for relief. The court held that both legislative changes applied to the defendant. (2) The trial court erred by finding that the defendant’s removal from the registry would not comply with the federal Adam Walsh Act.