What legal principle bars second prosecutions after either acquittal or conviction?

The correct answer, double jeopardy, refers to a legal principle enshrined in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This principle protects individuals from being tried twice for the same offense following an acquittal or conviction. The notion behind double jeopardy is to prevent governmental abuse, where a person could face multiple trials for the same crime, potentially leading to continuous legal harassment and undermining the finality of court decisions.

Double jeopardy ensures that once a verdict is reached—whether it be not guilty or guilty—there cannot be a subsequent trial for that same offense by the same jurisdiction. This protects the rights of the accused, reinforces the integrity of the judicial process, and upholds public confidence in the legal system.

The other choices do not encapsulate this specific legal protection. Due process relates to the fair treatment through the normal judicial system, precedent is about following previous court rulings to ensure consistency in law, and judicial review is the process by which courts examine the actions of legislative and executive branches for legality.