Legal Definitions - same-transaction test

The same-transaction test is a legal principle in criminal law that requires the government to bring all charges related to a single incident against a defendant in one prosecution. This test is also known as the double-jeopardy test.

For example, if a person is accused of committing a robbery and assault during the same incident, the same-transaction test would require the government to bring both charges in one trial. The defendant cannot be tried separately for each offense.

The same-transaction test was proposed by Justice Brennan in a case involving a conviction for felony-murder and a later prosecution for the underlying felony. However, this test was never officially adopted.

Another related test is the same-conduct test, which requires the government to bring all charges related to the same conduct in one trial.