Cite as: 509 U. S. 688 (1993)
Opinion of White, J.
sovereignty doctrine poses no problem. Cf. Heath, supra, at 88.3
B
Both the Government and amici submit that application of the Double Jeopardy Clause in this context carries grave practical consequences. See also post, at 742-743 (Black-mun, J., concurring in judgment in part and dissenting in part). It would, it is argued, cripple the power to enforce court orders or, alternatively, allow individuals to escape serious punishment for statutory criminal offenses. The argument, an offshoot of the principle of necessity familiar to the law of contempt, see, e. g., United States v. Wilson, 421 U. S. 309, 315-318 (1975), is that, just as we have relaxed certain procedural requirements in contempt proceedings where time is of the essence and an immediate remedy is needed to "prevent a breakdown of the proceedings," id., at 319, so too should we exclude double jeopardy protections from this setting lest we do damage to the courts' authority. In other words, "[t]he ability to punish disobedience to judicial orders [being] regarded as essential to ensuring that the Judiciary has a means to vindicate its own authority," Young, 481 U. S., at 796, its exercise should not be inhibited by fear that it might immunize defendants from subsequent criminal prosecution.
Adherence to double jeopardy principles in this context, however, will not seriously deter the courts from taking appropriate steps to ensure that their authority is not flouted.
3 That the contempt proceeding was brought and prosecuted by a private party in Foster is immaterial. For "[p]rivate attorneys appointed to prosecute a criminal contempt action represent the United States, not the party that is the beneficiary of the court order allegedly violated. As we said in Gompers, criminal contempt proceedings arising out of civil litigation 'are between the public and the defendant . . . .' 221 U. S., at 445." Young v. United States ex rel. Vuitton et Fils S. A., 481 U. S. 787, 804 (1987).
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