As an Indian tribe and the United States are separate sovereigns, both the United States and a Native American (Indian) tribe can prosecute an Indian for the same acts that constituted crimes in both jurisdictions without invoking double jeopardy if the actions of the accused violated Federal law. Decided April 19, 2004 (argued January 21, 2004). Opinion of the Court: Stephen Breyer → go there Dissenting: Souter. Topic: Native American law. United States v. Lara, 541 U.S. 193 (2004), is a United States Supreme Court landmark case which held that both the United States and a Native American (Indian) tribe could prosecute an Indian for the same acts that constituted crimes in both jurisdictions. The court held that the United States and the tribe were separate sovereigns; therefore, separate tribal and federal prosecutions did not violate the Double Jeopardy Clause. Wiki link