Flordelis v. Castillo

Summary

This Supreme Court case clarifies the proper application of the prejudicial question doctrine in criminal proceedings. Six teachers filed an administrative complaint against their principal alleging tax evasion, prompting the principal to file perjury charges against them. When the trial court dismissed the perjury case citing a prejudicial question from the pending administrative case, the Supreme Court reversed, holding that prejudicial questions only apply to pending civil cases, not administrative proceedings. The Court emphasized that administrative case outcomes cannot definitively determine guilt or innocence in criminal cases. Additionally, the Court ruled that defendants who seek dismissal waive their double jeopardy protection. This decision establishes important precedent on the intersection of criminal, administrative, and procedural law, limiting when criminal proceedings may be suspended.