Being prosecuted or punished twice for the same offense.

"Twice" matters because the protection is aimed at repeat government attempts after a case has already been resolved. Under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 7 of the Minnesota Constitution, the state generally cannot keep trying to convict someone for the same crime after an acquittal, a conviction, or certain final dismissals. "Same offense" matters too: prosecutors may still file a different charge based on different legal elements, and a new case may be allowed if the first one ended before jeopardy legally attached. In a jury trial, that usually happens when the jury is sworn in; in a bench trial, when the first witness is sworn.

The trap is assuming the rule blocks every second case. It does not. Separate sovereigns, mistrials, appeals by the defense, and charges that are legally distinct can change the analysis. Prosecutors also sometimes repackage facts under another statute, so the details of the record matter.

For an injury-related case, this can come up after a crash, assault, or worksite incident that leads to criminal charges. A driver acquitted of a criminal offense in Minnesota may still face a civil claim for damages, because double jeopardy limits criminal punishment, not private lawsuits. That distinction can affect settlement pressure, insurance strategy, and what evidence gets reused.