Opinion ID: 2582263
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Application of Federal Analysis in State Courts

Text: In Whalen, the Court, in a footnote, addressed application of the Double Jeopardy Clause in state courts, stating: The Court has held that the doctrine of separation of powers embodied in the Federal Constitution is not mandatory on the States. [Citations omitted.] It is possible, therefore, that the Double Jeopardy Clause does not, through the Fourteenth Amendment, circumscribe the penal authority of state courts in the same manner that it limits the power of federal courts. The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, however, would presumably prohibit state courts from depriving persons of liberty or property as punishment for criminal conduct except to the extent authorized by state law. 445 U.S. at 689 n.4. Other than this indication that the separation of powers rationale may not extend to cases dealing with state law, the Court has not deviated from its analysis when applying the Double Jeopardy Clause to state statutes. See, e.g., Missouri v. Hunter, 459 U.S. 359; Brown v. Ohio, 432 U.S. 161. Thus, under a Fifth Amendment analysis, we must examine legislative intent and apply the same-elements test when multiple description crimes are at issue and examine legislative intent to determine the minimum scope of the unit of prosecution when multiple counts based upon a single statute are at issue. Before examining the specifics of the charges against Schoonover, we will examine whether the same analysis applies under Kansas case law.