Grand Jury Selection Reddit

The Function and Selection Process of a Grand Jury

What is a Grand Jury?

A grand jury is a group of citizens who are tasked with hearing evidence concerning alleged crimes and determining whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a crime. They do not have the authority to determine guilt or innocence, but their decision can lead to a criminal indictment.

Grand Jury Selection

Unlike a Typical Jury Selection Process

Unlike a typical jury selection process, the selection of grand jurors does not involve lawyers or a judge. Instead, the Administrative Services Agency (ASA) is responsible for choosing jurors from a pool of eligible citizens.

Eligibility and Questionnaire

To determine eligibility, the clerk of the court sends a mandatory questionnaire to each prospective juror. This questionnaire gathers information about the juror's background, experience, and any potential biases.

Grand Jury Function

Probable Cause Determination

The primary purpose of a grand jury is to determine whether the government has probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime. This is based on the evidence presented by the prosecutor.

No Indictment, No Conviction

If the grand jury finds that there is not enough evidence to establish probable cause, they will issue a "no bill." In this case, the person will not be charged with a crime.