State v. Blankenship

STEVENSON, Judge.

In this case, the County Court of Palm Beach County certified the following question as being of great public importance:

WHETHER THE DOUBLE JEOPARDY CLAUSE BARS TRIAL OF AN OFFENDER ON A CRIMINAL TRAFFIC OFFENSE WHERE THE OFFENDER HAS PREVIOUSLY ENTERED A PLEA OF GUILTY OR NO CONTEST TO A TRAFFIC INFRACTION ON WHICH THE STATE WILL RELY TO PROVE AN ELEMENT OF THE CRIMINAL TRAFFIC OFFENSE?

We accepted jurisdiction pursuant to rule 9.160, Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. We answered this question in the negative in State v. Murray, 644 So.2d 533 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994).…