Grand Jury Vs Jury

Juries: Grand vs. Trial

Grand Jury

A grand jury is a legal body comprised of laypeople that determines whether there is enough evidence to charge a person with a crime. Grand juries are usually made up of 16 to 23 people and convene for a period of one month up to one year. The grand jury proceedings are held in private, and the jurors are not allowed to discuss the case with anyone outside of the jury room. If the grand jury finds that there is enough evidence to charge the person with a crime, it will issue an indictment. The indictment is a formal accusation that the person has committed a crime. The person will then be tried by a trial jury to determine if they are guilty of the crime.

Trial Jury

A trial jury is a group of people who are selected to hear the evidence in a criminal or civil case and decide on the verdict. Trial juries are usually made up of 12 people, but they can be larger or smaller in some cases. The jurors are sworn to be impartial and to follow the instructions of the judge. The trial jury hears the evidence presented by the prosecution and the defense and then deliberates to reach a verdict. The verdict must be unanimous in most cases. If the jury cannot reach a verdict, the judge may declare a mistrial and the case will have to be tried again.

Key Differences

The key differences between grand juries and trial juries are: * **Purpose:** Grand juries determine whether there is enough evidence to charge a person with a crime, while trial juries decide on the verdict in a criminal or civil case. * **Composition:** Grand juries are made up of 16 to 23 people, while trial juries are usually made up of 12 people. * **Proceedings:** Grand jury proceedings are held in private, while trial jury proceedings are open to the public.