Criner v. State

Michael Jude Criner challenges his conviction for three counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under twelve years of age. We affirm, but write to address Criner’s argument that the trial court should have granted his motion to dismiss based on his contention that the State was collaterally estopped from relit-igating the allegations of lewd or lascivious molestation, which had been previously litigated in an earlier termination of parental rights (“TPR”) proceeding. In the TPR proceeding, the Department of Children and Families (“DCF”) sought to terminate Criner’s parental rights…