double jeopardy

American  

noun

Law.

1. the subjecting of a person to a second trial or punishment for the same offense for which the person has already been tried or punished.

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double jeopardy British  

noun

1. the act of prosecuting a defendant a second time for an offence for which he has already been tried

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double jeopardy Cultural  

1. Trying a person twice in the same jurisdiction for the same crime, a practice prohibited by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. (See due process of law.)

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Etymology

Origin of double jeopardy

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

The prohibition of double jeopardy explicitly references threats to “life and limb.”

From Salon • Dec. 30, 2025

The dual sovereignty doctrine allows two different agencies to file charges for the same crime without violating the 5th Amendment’s double jeopardy clause, as long as the crime affects both jurisdictions.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2024

Mr. DePape’s defense lawyers in the state trial, which began last week, argued that prosecuting him again at the state level amounted to double jeopardy.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Once a jury is selected, even a ridiculous order can bring a prosecution to a hard stop because the Constitution’s double jeopardy clause precludes retrial.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2024

And now the rebels realized they were in double jeopardy.

From Rebels of the Red Planet by Fontenay, Charles Louis