Smith v. Massachusetts

Summary

The Court held that the Double Jeopardy Clause bars a trial judge from reconsidering a midtrial acquittal after the defense rests. Because Massachusetts lacked a pre-existing rule making such acquittals nonfinal, the initial ruling was treated as final, and the judge could not reopen the firearm-count case later in the trial. Justice Ginsburg, dissenting, would have found no double jeopardy violation where the defendant was not prejudiced by reconsideration before the trial court disassociated itself from the case.