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SUFFOLKUNIVERSITYLAW REVIEW [Vol. L:587
Six amici curiae briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court advanced the
proposition that Congress' s plenary powers over Puerto Rico negate tbe
requisite sovereignty to sustain the dual sovereignty exception to the double
jeopardy doctrine. Foremost among these briefs was one submitted by the
United States Solicitor General.49 In his brief, the Solicitor General reversed
the. U.S. Justice Department's previous position before the First and Eleventh
Circuits that Puerto Rico was sovereign for purposes of the Double Jeopardy
Clause. 50 Instead of following the Justice Department' s prior position and
respecting judicial precedent, the Solicitor General argued that Puerto Rico is a
territory subject to the plenary powers of Congress and, as such, is not a
sovereign.51 According to the Solicitor General, the United States Constitution
only provides for two types of independent sovereign government entities other
than the United States: states and Indian tribes.52 The Solicitor General further
argued that one Congress cannot bind another Congress. 53 Therefore, it was
not possible for Congress to relinquish its powers over Puerto Rico and endow
it with sovereignty not held by other territories. 54 The five remaining amici
curiae advanced similar positions. 55
The arguments advanced by the Solicitar General, counsel for Sanchez
Valle, and the remaining five amici curiae, reframed the question before the
W L 9181066, at * 16 (opining power of territorial governments merely delegated from Congress under plenary
powers).
49. See Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supportiog Respondents, Sane/tez Valle, 136 S. Ct,
1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9412680, at • 9-10 (contending Puerto Rico nota separate sovereign).
50. See id. at *32 n.6 (recognizing fonner Justice Department position differs from current arguments);
see a/so United States v. Sanchez, 992 F.2d 1143, 1159 (11 th Cir. 1993) (recognizing separateness of United
States and Puerto Rico legislatures); United States v. Lopez Andino, 831 F.2d 1164, J 168 (1 st Cir. 1987)
(affirming Puerto Rico's sovereignty for double jeopardy purposes).
51. See Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondents, supra note 49, at *34
(concluding Puerto Rico not independent sovereign); see also Sanchez, 992 F.2d at J 151-52 (rejecting separate
sovereignty argument); Lopez Andino, 83 J F.2d at 1167-68 (agreeing with Justice Department's position
conceming Puerto Rico's independent sovereignty).
52. See Bríef for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondents, supra note 49, at * 12
(arguing Court properly recognized independent sovereignty ofboth entities for double jeopardy purposes).
53. See id. at *25 (noting earlier Congress may not control larer Congress).
54. See id. (arguing "Congress cannot irrevocably cede sovereignry to Puerto Rico").
5 5. See Bríef of Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico and The Puerto Rican Bar Association,
Inc., as Amici Curíae in Support of Respondents, Puerto Rico v. Saochez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No.
15-108), 2015 WL 9455544, at *25 (reasoning Pue110 Rico's territorial classification negates separate
sovereignty argument); Brief of Curreot and Former Senior Puerto Rico OfficiaJs as Amici Curiae in Support of
Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9311873, at *6-13 (detennining any
presence of sovereign-like authority derived from Congress); Brief for Amicus Curiae Florida Assocíation of
Criminal Defense Lawyers - Miami Chapter in support of Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No.
15-108), 2015 WL 9474169, at *32-33 (highlighting Congress's differentiaJ treatment of Puerto Rico compared
to states); Brief for Amici Curiae Professors Christina Duffy Ponsa and Sam Ennan in Support of Respondents,
Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9459831, at *3 (arguing statehood only path to
separate sovereignty); Brief of Amicus Curiae Virgin Islaods Bar Association (VIBA) in Support of
Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9488259, at *27 (postulating Puerto Rico
and United States unified sovereigns).
Six amici curiae briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court advanced the
proposition that Congress' s plenary powers over Puerto Rico negate tbe
requisite sovereignty to sustain the dual sovereignty exception to the double
jeopardy doctrine. Foremost among these briefs was one submitted by the
United States Solicitor General.49 In his brief, the Solicitor General reversed
the. U.S. Justice Department's previous position before the First and Eleventh
Circuits that Puerto Rico was sovereign for purposes of the Double Jeopardy
Clause. 50 Instead of following the Justice Department' s prior position and
respecting judicial precedent, the Solicitor General argued that Puerto Rico is a
territory subject to the plenary powers of Congress and, as such, is not a
sovereign.51 According to the Solicitor General, the United States Constitution
only provides for two types of independent sovereign government entities other
than the United States: states and Indian tribes.52 The Solicitor General further
argued that one Congress cannot bind another Congress. 53 Therefore, it was
not possible for Congress to relinquish its powers over Puerto Rico and endow
it with sovereignty not held by other territories. 54 The five remaining amici
curiae advanced similar positions. 55
The arguments advanced by the Solicitar General, counsel for Sanchez
Valle, and the remaining five amici curiae, reframed the question before the
W L 9181066, at * 16 (opining power of territorial governments merely delegated from Congress under plenary
powers).
49. See Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supportiog Respondents, Sane/tez Valle, 136 S. Ct,
1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9412680, at • 9-10 (contending Puerto Rico nota separate sovereign).
50. See id. at *32 n.6 (recognizing fonner Justice Department position differs from current arguments);
see a/so United States v. Sanchez, 992 F.2d 1143, 1159 (11 th Cir. 1993) (recognizing separateness of United
States and Puerto Rico legislatures); United States v. Lopez Andino, 831 F.2d 1164, J 168 (1 st Cir. 1987)
(affirming Puerto Rico's sovereignty for double jeopardy purposes).
51. See Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondents, supra note 49, at *34
(concluding Puerto Rico not independent sovereign); see also Sanchez, 992 F.2d at J 151-52 (rejecting separate
sovereignty argument); Lopez Andino, 83 J F.2d at 1167-68 (agreeing with Justice Department's position
conceming Puerto Rico's independent sovereignty).
52. See Bríef for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondents, supra note 49, at * 12
(arguing Court properly recognized independent sovereignty ofboth entities for double jeopardy purposes).
53. See id. at *25 (noting earlier Congress may not control larer Congress).
54. See id. (arguing "Congress cannot irrevocably cede sovereignry to Puerto Rico").
5 5. See Bríef of Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico and The Puerto Rican Bar Association,
Inc., as Amici Curíae in Support of Respondents, Puerto Rico v. Saochez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No.
15-108), 2015 WL 9455544, at *25 (reasoning Pue110 Rico's territorial classification negates separate
sovereignty argument); Brief of Curreot and Former Senior Puerto Rico OfficiaJs as Amici Curiae in Support of
Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9311873, at *6-13 (detennining any
presence of sovereign-like authority derived from Congress); Brief for Amicus Curiae Florida Assocíation of
Criminal Defense Lawyers - Miami Chapter in support of Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No.
15-108), 2015 WL 9474169, at *32-33 (highlighting Congress's differentiaJ treatment of Puerto Rico compared
to states); Brief for Amici Curiae Professors Christina Duffy Ponsa and Sam Ennan in Support of Respondents,
Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016) (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9459831, at *3 (arguing statehood only path to
separate sovereignty); Brief of Amicus Curiae Virgin Islaods Bar Association (VIBA) in Support of
Respondents, Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (No. 15-108), 2015 WL 9488259, at *27 (postulating Puerto Rico
and United States unified sovereigns).
