Opinion ID: 1525173
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Writ of Prohibition in Criminal Proceedings

Text: A writ of prohibition will not be issued if the petitioner has another adequate and complete remedy at law to correct the act of the trial court which is alleged to be erroneous. Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 682. The right to appeal a criminal conviction is generally considered a complete and adequate remedy to review all of the questions presented in a criminal proceeding. See id. at 682-83; Bennethum v. Superior Court, 153 A.2d at 203; 63A Am.Jur.2d Prohibition § 15 (1984). However, there is authority that an error in the assumption of jurisdiction over a party may be corrected by means of a writ of prohibition, even though the party over whom jurisdiction has wrongly been assumed has an ultimate remedy to correct such action by the ordinary course of appellate review. Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 682-83. In considering what constitutes sufficient circumstances to compel the issuance of a writ of prohibition in a criminal proceeding, courts have held that the existence of the right of appeal after a conviction does not adequately redress a double jeopardy claim when the trial and appeal of a criminal case is likely to be prolonged. See 63A Am.Jur.2d Prohibition § 15; Annotation, Former Jeopardy as Ground for Prohibition, 94 A.L.R.2d 1048, 1065-67 (1964). Cf. Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 682-83. A trial would be a futile procedure if it would inevitably be determined on appeal that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. Bennethum v. Superior Court, 153 A.2d at 203; Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 683. This Court has acknowledged that the remedy of appeal in a criminal case may be inadequate when the lack of jurisdiction of the trial court is clear and unmistakable. Bennethum v. Superior Court, 153 A.2d at 203. Cf. Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 682-83. However, given the fact that there is an adequate and complete remedy following a criminal conviction by appeal, the ultimate grant or refusal of a petition for a writ of prohibition in a criminal case rests within the sound discretion of this Court. The decision to grant or deny the petition is determined in light of the circumstances of each particular case. Canaday v. Superior Court, 116 A.2d at 682-83. In a writ of prohibition proceeding, the petitioner has the burden of demonstrating to this Court, by clear and convincing evidence, that the action contemplated by the trial court is in excess of its jurisdiction.