double jeopardy

noun

1
: the putting of a person on trial for an offense for which he or she has previously been put on trial under a valid charge : two adjudications for one offense
2
: considerable danger or trouble from two sources

Examples of double jeopardy in a Sentence

constitutional protections against double jeopardy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jeff Rosenzweig and Katherine Street, Waterman's attorneys, are appealing Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green's decision denying a request to dismiss the murder charges on the grounds of double jeopardy. —Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 31 Dec. 2024 In 2022, detectives presented the case to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, but charges were not filed due to double jeopardy laws, according to police. —Yasmeen Saadi, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Dec. 2024 The official transcript obtained by Newsweek shows that Mangione's defense team is strongly objecting to the lack of information about the new charges and claims that the federal indictment violates double jeopardy rules. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024 Karen Read claims murder charge in police officer boyfriend's death is double jeopardy. —Fox News Staff, Fox News, 8 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for double jeopardy 

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of double jeopardy was in 1862

Dictionary Entries Near double jeopardy

double insurance

double jeopardy

double jeopardy clause

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Double jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20jeopardy. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.

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Legal Definition

double jeopardy

noun
: the prosecution of a person for an offense for which he or she has already been prosecuted see also jeopardy compare merger sense 3

Note: The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution states that no person shall “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” The double jeopardy clause bars second prosecutions after either acquittal or conviction, and prohibits multiple punishments for the same offense.

More from Merriam-Webster on double jeopardy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about double jeopardy

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