grand jury
Charges-deciding body
A grand jury is a group of citizens convened to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to bring criminal charges against someone.
Unlike a trial jury, which decides guilt or innocence, a grand jury only decides whether to issue an indictment—a formal accusation that sends a case to trial.
Grand jury proceedings are secret, with no judge present and no defense attorney cross-examining witnesses.
The grand jury returned an indictment on three counts of fraud.
Formal accusation approved
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- presentmentJury-initiated criminal charge
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
felony · prosecution · arraignment · criminal case · defendant · prosecutor · plea · bail
Writ requiring testimony
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- witnessOne who attests
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
inquiry · probe · fact-finding · interrogation · investigative · sworn testimony · compel · immunity
Trial decision makers
- forepersonJury's elected spokesperson
- venireSummoned potential jurors
- impanelmentJury assembly process
- alternatesBackup people or rotates
summons · peers · term of service · quorum · empaneled
Quality of protecting secrets
- non-disclosureMandated secrecy obligation
- in cameraLegal term for privately
- closed sessionPrivate official gathering
- anonymityUnknown identity state
leak · classified · privilege · sealed indictment · protected · sealed record
Protection against compelled testimony
- profferPresent for acceptance
- plea negotiationPre-trial settlement arrangement
- federal rulesCentralized government directives
- transcriptVerbatim written account
court supervision · extension · ham sandwich · judicial oversight
Careful weighing of choices
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
- voteFormal choice expression
- majorityOver half of total
- decisionSettled course of action
finding · assessment · evaluation · determination · conferring · consensus · review · judgment
true bill
Formal accusation approved
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- presentmentJury-initiated criminal charge
accusation · felony · prosecution · arraignment · criminal case · defendant · prosecutor · plea · bail · preliminary hearing
subpoena
Writ requiring testimony
prosecutor · inquiry · probe · fact-finding · interrogation · investigative · sworn testimony · compel · immunity · target
jurors
Trial decision makers
- forepersonJury's elected spokesperson
- venireSummoned potential jurors
- impanelmentJury assembly process
alternates · summons · peers · term of service · quorum · empaneled
confidentiality
Quality of protecting secrets
- non-disclosureMandated secrecy obligation
- in cameraLegal term for privately
- closed sessionPrivate official gathering
anonymity · leak · classified · privilege · sealed indictment · protected · sealed record
Fifth Amendment
Protection against compelled testimony
- profferPresent for acceptance
- plea negotiationPre-trial settlement arrangement
- federal rulesCentralized government directives
transcript · court supervision · extension · ham sandwich · judicial oversight
deliberation
Careful weighing of choices
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
- voteFormal choice expression
- majorityOver half of total
decision · finding · assessment · evaluation · determination · conferring · consensus · review · judgment · standard of proof
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
- US Lawattorney, lawyer, lawsuit, federal court, state court
- Federal JusticeFBI, DEA, federal prosecutor, federal prosecutors, federal indictment
- juries
- prosecutor's officeprosecutor, DA, district attorney, assistant DA, deputy prosecutor
- courtroomjudge, oath taking, lawyer, bench, gavel
grand jurytrial
Judicial examination of claims
acquittal · verdict · conviction · sentencing · defense counsel
grand, jury, grandiose, grandest, grander, grandiosity, grandioseness