Dual Sovereignty

Dual Sovereignty is a legal doctrine that states that the federal government and a state government may both prosecute an individual for a crime without violating the Fifth Amendment's double jeopardy clause, if the individual's act violated both jurisdictions' laws. In other words, certain crimes (including gun and drug offenses) can be prosecuted in both state and federal courts. It is generally up to the state or federal prosecutors to decide which court will handle each case. Rarely will an individual be charged, convicted, and sentenced for the same crime in both state and federal courts.See Double Jeopardy.