United States v. Wheeler

United States v. Wheeler (1978) was a Supreme Court case examining whether federal prosecutors could prosecute Native Americans for crimes committed on their tribal lands after tribal authorities had already prosecuted those same individuals. The Court ruled that Native Americans are considered members of separate tribal nations with their own sovereign authority, so they cannot be tried twice for the same offense—protecting their right against double jeopardy within tribal justice systems. This decision affirms that tribal nations have certain sovereign powers, and federal or state governments cannot interfere with their internal legal processes for crimes they adjudicate.