Grand Jury Types

Grand Jury Types

Grand Jury Types and Function

Introduction to Grand Jury Types

A grand jury generally consists of 24 persons, of whom not more than 23 or fewer than 12 are sworn, 12 being the smallest number of jurors that may make a presentment. At its discretion, a court may select a foreperson from the members of the grand jury, or it may permit the grand jurors to elect their foreperson.

After the grand jurors are sworn and receive the charge from the judge, the proposed indictments are laid before them, and witnesses are called. Testimony given to a grand jury is secret and may become available for inspection by a defendant only through application to the court that has jurisdiction over the jury.

A grand jury may require the same evidence, written and oral, as may be necessary to support an indictment at a trial. When inquiring into a particular criminal charge, however, the grand jurors do not examine witnesses for the defense, because it is not their duty to find a verdict.

When a grand jury decides that sufficient prima facie evidence exists to warrant a trial, a clerk appointed by the court endorses on the indictment the words “a true bill”; should the jurors find that sufficient evidence does not exist, the clerk endorses on the indictment the words “not a true bill.”” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

Guide to Grand Jury Types


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