Fifth Amendment

Definition

A provision of the U.S. Constitution that protects individuals in criminal proceedings in several ways, including the right against self-incrimination (the right to remain silent) and the protection against double jeopardy (being tried twice for the same crime).

Examples

• •Hunter's case rests on the Fifth Amendment's Double Jeopardy Clause, which he argues forbids the government from prosecuting him after he already pleaded guilty under a plea deal.

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