Grand Jury Selection: A Vital Part of the Legal Process
Determining Eligibility and Choosing Jurors
To determine the eligibility of prospective jurors, the clerk of the court sends each a mandatory questionnaire to complete and return. Grand juries are chosen for both federal and state jurisdictions. A new federal grand jury is chosen three times each year, each serving for a four-month term.
Understanding the Importance of Grand Juries
A grand jury is a group of people selected to sit on a jury that decides whether the prosecutor's evidence provides probable cause to issue an indictment. Indictments are formal accusations that charge individuals with crimes.
How Grand Juries Are Assembled
Grand juries are made up of randomly-selected laypeople. The grand jury members are asked to appear in person at the courthouse. Like trial jurors, grand jurors are citizens selected randomly from voter registrations and other sources. They may serve for up to 18 months.
Comments