Currier v. Virginia

The Supreme Court said Virginia could try Michael Currier on a felon-in-possession charge after he agreed to split his charges into two trials. Currier argued the second trial should have been blocked because the first jury had acquitted him on burglary and larceny counts.

The Court affirmed the Virginia judgment on June 22, 2018. The prompt does not provide the vote count or opinion lineup.

The decision affects defendants who agree to separate trials on related charges. For example, someone cleared on some counts may still face a later trial on another count from the same event if he agreed to severance (splitting the charges).

The Supreme Court has finished this case. The Virginia result remains in place.

The case asked whether Currier gave up his double jeopardy argument by agreeing to two trials. He said the first acquittal should have blocked the second case.

Defendants and prosecutors in cases with several related charges are most affected. The ruling matters when the defense agrees to split those charges into separate trials.

This docket action is over at the Supreme Court. The Virginia judgment stands, and any further steps would have to come outside this completed Supreme Court proceeding.