Rights & liberties
double jeopardy
No one may be tried twice for the same offense by the same government. It does not bar a civil suit, or charges by a different sovereign for the same conduct.
In full
Jeopardy attaches when a jury is sworn or the first witness testifies in a bench trial. A mistrial, a hung jury, or a defense-sought reversal generally permits retrial. Because states and the federal government are separate sovereigns, both may prosecute the same act, a rule reaffirmed in Gamble v. United States (2019).
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.