Opinion ID: 2576140
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Successive prosecution, multiple prosecution, and multiple punishments

Text: Successive prosecution cases occur when the defendant is prosecuted for an offense, then is prosecuted a second time for the same offense after acquittal or conviction. Multiple prosecution (again multiple prosecution,  not multiple punishments ) cases occur when the defendant is prosecuted for the same offense at the same time in two different courts, e.g., district court and family court. Both successive prosecution and multiple prosecution cases require more than one prosecution. In contrast, in multiple punishments  cases, there is a single prosecution after which the defendant is punished multiple times for the same offense. [15] The Lessary facts presented one of the two successive prosecution scenarios (as distinguished from the multiple punishments scenario) following an alleged criminal episode (that spanned multiple hours) with his estranged wife as the victim. Lessary was charged by complaint in district court with terroristic threatening and kidnapping of his estranged wife (which was later amended to unlawful imprisonment). Id. at 449, 865 P.2d at 152-53. On the same day, Lessary was charged by complaint in family court with abuse of a family member. Id. at 449, 865 P.2d at 152. Lessary pled no contest to the abuse charge, and was sentenced to five days of incarceration and one year of probation. Id. at 449-50, 865 P.2d at 152. Lessary subsequently moved to dismiss the terroristic threatening and unlawful imprisonment charges on double jeopardy grounds. Id. at 450, 865 P.2d at 152. The motion to dismiss was granted, and the prosecution appealed. Id. at 450-51, 865 P.2d at 152-53.