Page 10 - Suffolk University Law Review
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7] THE EVOLUTION OF DEMOCRATICGOVERNANCE 595
for purposes of the Double Jeopardy Clause.42
The backbone of the P.R. Supreme Court's majority opiruon is that
congressional approval of Puerto Rico's constitution did not change Puerto
Rico's political status as a United States territory subject to Congress's plenary
powers.43 The majority argued tbat, as a territory, Puerto Rico lacks the
original sovereignty necessary to qualify for the doctrinal exception for
separate sovereigns under the Double Jeopardy Clause.44 The U.S. Supreme
Court granted the government's petition for certiorari.45
In its brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Cornmonwealth of Puerto Rico
argued that the P.R. Supreme Court "focused on the wrong question.?" The
Commonwealth claimed that dual sovereigntyauthority over the other, but rather on "the source of authority of each entity's
law."47 In his reply brief, Sanchez Valle relied on the P.R. Supreme Court's
reasoning, asserting again that Puerto Rico is a territory subject to the plenary
powers of Congress.48
U.S. 121, 150 (1959) (Black, J., dissenting) (recognizing "double prosecutions" run "contrary to ... spirit of
our free country"); United States v. Ali Assets of G.P.S. Auto. Corp., 66 F.3d 483, 497-99 (2d Cir. 1995)
(Calabresi, J., concurring) (questioning dual sovereignty doctrine); Daniel A. Braun, Praying to False
Sovereigns: The Rule Permitttng Successive Prosecutions in the Age o/ Cooperative Federalism, 20 AM. J.
CRIM. L. 1, 45-46 ( 1992) (discussing "human dignity" arguments); Thomas Franck, An International Lawyer
looks at the Bartkus Rule, 34 N.Y.U. L. REv. 1096, 1103 (1959) (arguing double prosecution runs countcr to
"conscience of society"); J.A.C. Grant, Successlve Prosecutions by State and Nation: Common law and
British Emplre Comparisons, 4 U.C.L.A. L. REv. l. 36 ( 1956) (arguing for abolishment of "doctrine of
successive prosecutions"); J.A.C. Grant, The Lanza Rule of Successive Prosecutions, 32 COLUM. L. REv. 1309,
1331 ( 1932) (opining successive prosecutions present chaJJenge to Bill of Rights).
42. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 728 (Rodríguez, J., dissenting) (voicing disagreement with
majority's anaJysis). In her Sanchez Valle dissent, Justice Oronoz Rodríguez strongJy criticized the majority.
First, she would have upheld Castro Garcia, arguing that Puerto Rico is a separate sovereign for purposes of
the Double Jeopardy Clause. See id. Second, she states that the majority's reasoning stems more from political
ideological considerations than legal analysis, and further argues that the majority stripped Puerto Rico of an
important anticrime tool by preventing the Puerto Rican governrnent from prosecuting crimes under Puerto
Rican laws. See id. at 729-30. Justice Oronoz Rodríguez also criticized the majority's heavy reliance on
Puerto Rico v. She/1 Co., 302 U.S. 253 (1937), because it was decided before Puerto Rico became a
commonwealth. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. ar 737-38 (Rodríguez, J., dissenting). Post-commonwealth
decisions support the proposition that Congress may lirnit its own plenary powers by transferring these powers
to Puerto Rico. See Calero-Toledo v. Pearson Yacht Leasing Co., 416 U.S. 663, 673-674 (1974) (recognizing
Congress enabled Puerto Rico to enact a constitution). Justice Rodriguez aJso argued that the Puerto Rican
legislative powers are inherent police powers, contradicting the notion that they are powers delegated by
Congress. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 758 (Rodríguez, J., dissentiog); see a/so Dominguez Castro v.
E.L.A, 178 P.R. Dec. 1, 37 (201O) (noting legislative branch may exercise police power for general welfare).
43. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 642 (detennining Puerto Rico's power over criminal prosecutions
stems from U.S. sovereignty); see a/so Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. at 1876 (applying "dual sovereignty test" to
Puerto Rico).
44. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 642-46 (analyzing Puerto Rico's sovereignty and Supreme
Court's treatment of Puerto Rico).
45. See Puerto Rico v. Sanchez VaJlc, 136 S. Ct. 28 (2015).
46. See Brief for Petitioner, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 7294879, at *17
(emphasizing dual sovereignty doctrine depends on source of authority, not extent of authority).
47. See id. (arguing Puerto Rico's laws stem from Puerto Rico's citizens, not Congress).
48. See Brief of Respondents, Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No. 15-108), 2015
for purposes of the Double Jeopardy Clause.42
The backbone of the P.R. Supreme Court's majority opiruon is that
congressional approval of Puerto Rico's constitution did not change Puerto
Rico's political status as a United States territory subject to Congress's plenary
powers.43 The majority argued tbat, as a territory, Puerto Rico lacks the
original sovereignty necessary to qualify for the doctrinal exception for
separate sovereigns under the Double Jeopardy Clause.44 The U.S. Supreme
Court granted the government's petition for certiorari.45
In its brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Cornmonwealth of Puerto Rico
argued that the P.R. Supreme Court "focused on the wrong question.?" The
Commonwealth claimed that dual sovereignty
law."47 In his reply brief, Sanchez Valle relied on the P.R. Supreme Court's
reasoning, asserting again that Puerto Rico is a territory subject to the plenary
powers of Congress.48
U.S. 121, 150 (1959) (Black, J., dissenting) (recognizing "double prosecutions" run "contrary to ... spirit of
our free country"); United States v. Ali Assets of G.P.S. Auto. Corp., 66 F.3d 483, 497-99 (2d Cir. 1995)
(Calabresi, J., concurring) (questioning dual sovereignty doctrine); Daniel A. Braun, Praying to False
Sovereigns: The Rule Permitttng Successive Prosecutions in the Age o/ Cooperative Federalism, 20 AM. J.
CRIM. L. 1, 45-46 ( 1992) (discussing "human dignity" arguments); Thomas Franck, An International Lawyer
looks at the Bartkus Rule, 34 N.Y.U. L. REv. 1096, 1103 (1959) (arguing double prosecution runs countcr to
"conscience of society"); J.A.C. Grant, Successlve Prosecutions by State and Nation: Common law and
British Emplre Comparisons, 4 U.C.L.A. L. REv. l. 36 ( 1956) (arguing for abolishment of "doctrine of
successive prosecutions"); J.A.C. Grant, The Lanza Rule of Successive Prosecutions, 32 COLUM. L. REv. 1309,
1331 ( 1932) (opining successive prosecutions present chaJJenge to Bill of Rights).
42. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 728 (Rodríguez, J., dissenting) (voicing disagreement with
majority's anaJysis). In her Sanchez Valle dissent, Justice Oronoz Rodríguez strongJy criticized the majority.
First, she would have upheld Castro Garcia, arguing that Puerto Rico is a separate sovereign for purposes of
the Double Jeopardy Clause. See id. Second, she states that the majority's reasoning stems more from political
ideological considerations than legal analysis, and further argues that the majority stripped Puerto Rico of an
important anticrime tool by preventing the Puerto Rican governrnent from prosecuting crimes under Puerto
Rican laws. See id. at 729-30. Justice Oronoz Rodríguez also criticized the majority's heavy reliance on
Puerto Rico v. She/1 Co., 302 U.S. 253 (1937), because it was decided before Puerto Rico became a
commonwealth. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. ar 737-38 (Rodríguez, J., dissenting). Post-commonwealth
decisions support the proposition that Congress may lirnit its own plenary powers by transferring these powers
to Puerto Rico. See Calero-Toledo v. Pearson Yacht Leasing Co., 416 U.S. 663, 673-674 (1974) (recognizing
Congress enabled Puerto Rico to enact a constitution). Justice Rodriguez aJso argued that the Puerto Rican
legislative powers are inherent police powers, contradicting the notion that they are powers delegated by
Congress. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 758 (Rodríguez, J., dissentiog); see a/so Dominguez Castro v.
E.L.A, 178 P.R. Dec. 1, 37 (201O) (noting legislative branch may exercise police power for general welfare).
43. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 642 (detennining Puerto Rico's power over criminal prosecutions
stems from U.S. sovereignty); see a/so Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. at 1876 (applying "dual sovereignty test" to
Puerto Rico).
44. See Sanchez Valle, 192 P.R. Dec. at 642-46 (analyzing Puerto Rico's sovereignty and Supreme
Court's treatment of Puerto Rico).
45. See Puerto Rico v. Sanchez VaJlc, 136 S. Ct. 28 (2015).
46. See Brief for Petitioner, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 7294879, at *17
(emphasizing dual sovereignty doctrine depends on source of authority, not extent of authority).
47. See id. (arguing Puerto Rico's laws stem from Puerto Rico's citizens, not Congress).
48. See Brief of Respondents, Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No. 15-108), 2015
