Opinion ID: 2633129
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction of the supreme court and court of criminal appeals

Text: ¶ 5 There is a fine line between the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and that of the Court of Criminal Appeals, particularly when the authority of a grand jury is at issue. Jurisdictional conflicts between the two courts have been mercifully few. This scarcity of conflict is a testament to both the clarity of jurisdictional boundaries between the two Courts and the constant willingness of the members of each Court to observe and comply with their jurisdictional restrictions. Carder v. Court of Criminal Appeals, 1978 OK 130, ¶ 1, 595 P.2d 416, 418. ¶ 6 The Court of Criminal Appeals has exclusive appellate jurisdiction over criminal cases unless that jurisdiction is altered by statute. Okla. Const. art. 7, § 4; State v. Blevins, 1992 OK CR 4, ¶ 2, 825 P.2d 270, 271. The Court of Criminal Appeals also has limited jurisdiction to issue writs in aid of its appellate jurisdiction. State ex rel. Henry v. Mahler, 1990 OK 3, ¶ 12, 786 P.2d 82, 85; Hurst v. Pitman, 1950 OK CR 10, 90 Okla. Crim. 329, 213 P.2d 877, 878 (syl. no. 1 by the Court). However, it has no general superintending power over the lower courts. Carder, 1978 OK 130, ¶ 12, 595 P.2d at 419. ¶ 7 The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over all cases arising in law or in equity, with the single exception of criminal cases. Okla. Const. art. 7, § 4; see also Smith v. Okla. Dep't. of Corr., 2001 OK 95, ¶ 6, 37 P.3d 872, 873. The Supreme Court also has general superintending control over all lower courts, agencies, commissions, and boards created by state law. Okla. Const. art. 7, § 4. The Supreme Court also exercises this general superintending control to resolve any conflict in jurisdiction between the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals; those decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and are final. [1] Id; Movants to Quash Grand Jury Subpoenas v. Powers, 1992 OK 142, ¶ 2, 839 P.2d 655, 656; Mahler, 1990 OK 3, ¶ 11, 786 P.2d at 85. The Court of Criminal Appeals has no jurisdiction to review decisions of the Supreme Court. Dancy v. Owens, 1927 OK 203, ¶ 0, 126 Okla. 37, 258 P. 879, 880 (syl. no. 4 by the Court). ¶ 8 The Legislature has directed the Supreme Court to determine whether to grant the Attorney General's application to convene a multicounty grand jury. Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 351(A)(3) (Supp.2007). When it grants an application, this Court must issue an order setting forth the grand jury's purpose. Id. Once it issues an order to convene the multicounty grand jury, the Supreme Court retains general jurisdiction over the interpretation and application of the order. The question raised here-whether a multicounty grand jury has the jurisdiction to investigate illegal activity occurring in only one county-calls for a general analysis of constitutional and statutory norms as they apply to the multicounty grand jury's jurisdiction. Such an analysis is clearly within this Court's purview. ¶ 9 This Court has exercised this facet of its jurisdiction in the past to determine the extent of a multicounty grand jury's jurisdiction. In Powers, the Supreme Court considered the multicounty grand jury's authority to investigate illegal activity during campaigns for public office. We held that the scope of power and authority of a multicounty grand jury convened by an order of this Court is within the jurisdiction of this Court and is a matter of broad public concern. 1992 OK 142, ¶ 2, 839 P.2d at 656. The Court of Criminal Appeals acknowledged this approach when the Supreme Court referred a subsequent matter arising from the same grand jury to that Court: Oklahoma is unusual in that grand jury matters concerning criminal cases fall within the appellate jurisdiction of this Court, whereas, all other grand jury matters, including the empaneling and authority of a grand jury, fall within the exclusive appellate jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Okla. Const. art. VII, § 4. Because of such dual jurisdiction over grand jury matters, it is important that the two courts do not take conflicting positions. Griffin Tele., Inc. v. Powers, 1993 OK CR 12, ¶ 12, 847 P.2d 812, 815 (emphasis added). ¶ 10 We have deferred to the limited jurisdiction of the Court of Criminal Appeals when the determination of the extent of a multicounty grand jury's authority raised issues of criminal procedure uniquely within that Court's expertise. See Smith, 2001 OK 95, ¶¶ 6-7, 37 P.3d at 873. In Woolverton v. Multi-County Grand Jury, the petitioners filed an original action in the Supreme Court, seeking a writ of prohibition regarding a multicounty grand jury's subpoena for fingerprints, palmprints, and blood samples. 1993 OK CR 42, 859 P.2d 1112. Because it called for an analysis of the constitutional limits of a multi-county grand jury's procedural authority to conduct discovery in the form of a bodily search as part of a criminal investigation, we concluded that the action was within the jurisdiction of the Court of Criminal Appeals and transferred it to that Court. ¶ 11 Unlike Woolverton, the present situation requires a generalized analysis of constitutional and statutory norms and triggers this Court's constitutional supervisory role. Okla. Const. art. 7, § 4. This Court is charged by statute with determining the scope of the multicounty grand jury's authority. Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 351 (Supp.2007). Petitioners' request to return this original action to the Court of Criminal Appeals is denied.