Discussing Criminal Attorney Services

The Grand Jury Has Spoken: Find Out What Indictments Mean

2 June 2019

Joshua Alexander

Only very serious crimes come under the influence of a grand jury. If someone you know has been accused of a felony and the grand jury is considering their case, you might be interested in what might happen. Read on to find out what it means for someone to be indicted.

Who Makes Up a Grand Jury?

The same people listed on the regular jury roles can be "called" for grand jury duty. In most cases, your the county or city won't call people for either type of jury duty more than once every few years. The time required to sit for a grand jury may be more extensive than that of a regular jury duty since grand jurors are expected to remain for the duration of the session, which can last several weeks. If you are called for grand jury duty, you can expect to hear many different cases during your time.

What Does a Grand Jury Do?

In the time period between when a person who is accused of committing a felony has been arrested and when their trial commences, this meeting occurs. Standing trial for committing a felony is an extremely serious matter and being convicted of a felony can bring harsh punishments. Grand juries are assembled, supposedly, to provide input to the state on the validity of the evidence. The main issue that most of those critical of the process have is the one-sided nature of the affair. Unlike a trial, a grand jury hears only one side of the information.

Powers of the Grand Jury

Additionally, the grand jury holds little power. If they vote to indict someone, the prosecutor has a bit more impetus to put them on trial. If they fail to indict someone, however, the prosecutor is not barred from trying the case regardless. Grand jury proceedings do allow the general public to have an opportunity to participate in the legal process. Depending on the political and justice situation in a given location, the true powers a grand jury indictment holds varies considerably.

Inside the Grand Jury Room

Grand jury meetings are secretive—they are not open to the public like regular court cases are. In fact, the only people present in the courtroom is the jury and the lawyer for the state. In some places, the accused is allowed to attend, but their lawyer is not allowed to speak, object, give their side, or anything else. Additionally, judges are not always present. The prosecutor's office runs the show during grand jury assemblies. During the hearings, evidence to support bring the accused to trial is presented. The jury then votes either to bring a vote of no-confidence or a vote or true ball. A grand jury can make rulings of dozens of cases in a single week of work.

If your friend who's been arrested doesn't yet have a criminal defense lawyer to help, there is no time to waste. Getting legal representation before a trial is both a right and imperative.

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