Which provision protects against being tried twice for the same offense?

• A. Right to counsel
• B. Double Jeopardy
• C. Right to a jury trial
• D. Right to a speedy trial

Answer: (B)

Double Jeopardy is the protection that stops someone from being tried twice for the same offense. It comes from the Fifth Amendment and kicks in after jeopardy attaches in a first proceeding—typically when a jury is sworn (or when the first witness is sworn in a bench trial). It bars being retried after an acquittal or after a conviction, and it also limits multiple punishments for the same offense. There are exceptions, such as prosecutions by different sovereigns (for example, state and federal governments) for the same conduct, which can happen under dual sovereignty. Other rights mentioned—counsel, a jury trial, and a speedy trial—protect different aspects of the criminal process and do not address being tried twice.