The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could redefine what it considers double jeopardy.
The Constitution's Fifth Amendment protects a person from being put on trial twice for the same crime. But the Supreme Court has long held that the rule applies to state and federal courts separately — meaning a person could be tried for the same crime at the state and federal level.
Now lawyers for an Alabama man want the court to reconsider its previous decisions on the issue. That man was convicted for violating an Alabama gun law and a similar federal one.
NBC News reports his lawyers argue Congress has significantly expanded the scope of federal laws and many of those laws now duplicate state laws — an issue previous high court cases didn't have to contend with.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
