Sweet v. State

Christopher Sweet, petitioner, was convicted in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County of second degree assault and third degree sexual offense against a minor. The court ordered petitioner to register as a sexually violent predator on the basis of a prior sexually based offense. We granted certiorari primarily to decide whether, based upon Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), due process requires that a jury determine the exis*3tence of the statutory factual condition precedent beyond a reasonable doubt before an offender may be required to register as…