United States v. Kimball was a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with the issue of whether a federal court had the authority to issue a writ of habeas corpus to a state prisoner. The case involved a man named Kimball who had been convicted of murder in the state of Massachusetts and sentenced to life in prison. Kimball filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the federal court, arguing that his conviction was unconstitutional. The federal court granted the writ and ordered Kimball's release from prison. The United States government appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, arguing that the federal court did not have the authority to issue the writ of habeas corpus. The Supreme Court agreed with the government, ruling that the federal court did not have the authority to issue the writ. The Court held that the writ of habeas corpus was a state prerogative and that the federal court could not interfere with the state's criminal justice system. The Court also noted that the writ of habeas corpus was a remedy for federal prisoners, not state prisoners. As a result, Kimball was not released from prison and his conviction was upheld.

In United States v. Kimball, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a defendant could be convicted of two separate offenses when they were both based on the same act. The majority opinion held that it was permissible for a single act to result in multiple convictions if each offense required proof of an additional element not necessary for conviction under the other charge. Justice Field dissented from this decision, arguing that such double jeopardy would violate due process and constitute cruel and unusual punishment as defined by the Eighth Amendment. He argued that allowing multiple convictions for one act would lead to arbitrary punishments which are prohibited by law; he also noted that Congress had never intended or authorized such a practice. In conclusion, Justice Field believed that punishing someone twice for one crime violated fundamental principles of justice and should not be allowed under any circumstances.