St. Clair v. Castlen

Summary

The Kentucky Supreme Court denied Michael Dale St. Clair’s petition for a writ of prohibition seeking to prevent retrial on charges following a mistrial. The Court held that St. Clair had an adequate remedy by appeal and therefore declined to address the merits of his double-jeopardy claim.

Holdings

1. A writ of prohibition is unavailable when the petitioner has an adequate remedy by appeal and cannot show that denial of the writ will cause great injustice and irreparable injury.
2. The court may decline to address the merits of a double-jeopardy claim in a writ proceeding when an adequate remedy by appeal exists.

Questions Presented

1. Whether a writ of prohibition was available to prevent the Hardin Circuit Court from retrying St. Clair after declaring a mistrial.
2. Whether the existence of an adequate remedy by appeal required denial of the writ without reaching the merits of St. Clair's double-jeopardy claim.

Disposition

writ_denied