Grand jury
A group of people selected to sit on a jury that decides whether to return indictments formally charging a person with committing a crime. Grand juries usually consist of 23 people and convene for a minimum of one month but can last up to a year.
Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary
A group of people chosen at random that sits on a regular basis to hear evidence brought by a prosecutor. The prosecutor presents evidence against a person that he or she thinks will justify an indictment (formal charges) and a trial. Grand juries, unlike petit juries, meet in secret, need not reach unanimous decisions, and do not decide on a person's guilt or evidence (they only decide whether the person should stand trial). (See also: petit jury)
Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.
August 19, 2010, 5:17 pm
