Attorney General's News Release

October 31, 2008

Statement by Attorney General Nixon on appeals court ruling on law restricting Halloween activities by sex offenders

Jefferson City, Mo. - Attorney General Jay Nixon issued the following statement on today's order by the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The order grants Nixon's request to stay a lower court ruling that enjoined enforcement of portions of a Missouri law that restricts certain activities by sex offenders on Halloween:

"With today's ruling, the entirety of this law designed to protect our children is now in effect. This stay comes not a moment too soon, as hundreds of thousands of Missouri children prepare to go trick-or-treating Friday night. My office will continue our aggressive efforts to uphold this law to protect the state's children, and we are in the process of advising Missouri law enforcement of today's order."

The ruling by the federal appeals court stays a preliminary injunction issued Monday (Oct. 27) by the district court that partially enjoined enforcement of the law.