 United States v. Lara , 541 U.S. 193 ( 2004 ) , was a United States Supreme Court 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 . 
