How are people selected to serve on grand juries?

Criminal grand juries in California are selected at random from the list of people eligible to serve on a “regular” jury (i.e., a “petit jury”) in a criminal or civil trial. Grand jurors should represent a cross-section of the population that is eligible to serve on a jury at a jury trial.

How long do grand jurors serve?

While a trial jury will sit for only the duration of a criminal case, a grand jury is impaneled for a much longer period: a federal grand jury can sit for anywhere from 18-36 months, while state grand juries can sit for varying terms ranging from one month to one year.

Who chooses the grand jury?

Members of the Civil Grand Jury are selected from a volunteer pool or are nominated directly by a Superior Court judge. The final 23 members are selected randomly by computer. Each July these citizens are sworn in as grand jurors for a 12-month period ending June of the following year. Service is a full-time job.

How is a grand jury selected in Georgia?

In Georgia, a grand jury consists of 16-23 jurors selected from a group of citizens within the county. The purpose of the grand jury is to consider the evidence presented and decide whether there is enough probable cause (evidence) to indict you for the charged crime.

What does it mean to serve on grand jury?

What Is a Grand Jury? In a nutshell, a grand jury helps the prosecutor decide whether to file charges against a suspect in a crime. Grand juries typically consist of 23 people, and the individual jurors may have jury duty for months at a time. However, jurors will have to work only a few days out of the month.

How do grand juries work?

The grand jury listens to the prosecutor and witnesses, and then votes in secret on whether they believe that enough evidence exists to charge the person with a crime. A grand jury may decide not to charge an individual based upon the evidence, no indictment would come from the grand jury.

Are grand jurors paid?

Grand Jury Federal jurors are paid $50 a day. Jurors can receive up to $60 a day after serving 45 days on a grand jury. (Employees of the federal government are paid their regular salary in lieu of this fee.) Jurors also are reimbursed for reasonable transportation expenses and parking fees.

How long does grand jury last in Georgia?

Term of Service The Grand Jury consists of twenty-three (23) members and three (3) alternates. Grand Jurors serve for a two-month term. If you are selected to serve on the Grand Jury, Grand Jury will meet on average one to two days per week.

How long do you have to be indicted in GA?

This means that for misdemeanors the state must file an indictment or accusation charging you within two years of the date the alleged offense or offenses occurred. If prosecutors indict or accuse you even a day after the statute of limitations has run, the whole case must be dismissed.

Is there a difference between being charged and indicted?

Essentially, the difference between the two depends upon who has filed charges against you. If you have been charged, this means a state or federal prosecutor filed charges against you. If you have been indicted, this means a grand jury has filed charges against you.

Does being indicted mean you go to jail?

After a grand jury indicts someone, it returns the indictment to the court and the criminal case begins. If the suspect (now-defendant) isn’t already in custody (jail), the defendant may be arrested or summoned to appear before the court for preliminary hearings.

Are grand juries secret?

Grand jury proceedings are secret. No judge is present; the proceedings are led by a prosecutor; and the defendant has no right to present his case or (in many instances) to be informed of the proceedings at all. While court reporters usually transcribe the proceedings, the records are sealed.

How long does it take to serve on a grand jury?

Terms of Service. Grand jurors generally must serve one or two days each week for anywhere from 12 to 24 months, depending on the type of grand jury–county, state or federal.

How are grand jurors selected for jury duty?

The court then randomly selects grand jurors from among the candidates eligible to serve according to their questionnaire answers. Each selected juror receives a summons to appear for jury duty at the courthouse on the scheduled date and time.

Are grand juries open to the public?

Grand jury proceedings are not open for public observation. There are two types of federal grand juries; regular and special. Regular grand juries sit for a basic term of 6 or 12 months and meet 2 to 4 days per month. Special grand juries sit for 18 months and meet 1 or 2 days per month.

How many people are on a federal grand jury?

Grand juries are generally composed of 6 to 12 people just like a trial jury, but when a federal grand jury is called, 16 to 23 people may be required to show up for jury duty. When a grand jury is convened, the jury members evaluate the strength of the prosecutor’s evidence to determine if there is probable cause to issue an indictment.