Did You Know?

Grand Juries
The Circuit Court has the authority to impanel regular, special, and multi-jurisdiction grand juries. A regular grand jury is composed of  five to seven citizens of the city or county where the circuit court is located; it is convened at each term  of the court for two purposes:

(1) to consider indictments prepared by the Commonwealth’s Attorney (the grand jury determines whether there is probable cause to believe that the person accused has committed the crime charged in the indictment and should stand trial.)

(2) to investigate and report on any condition that involves or tends to  promote criminal activity, either in the community or by any governmental authority, agency, or official. The grand jury hears only the Commonwealth’s side of the case and does not determine the guilt or innocence of the accused.

Members of a regular grand jury must be citizens of Virginia who are at least 18 years of age.  They must have been residents of the Commonwealth for one year and of the county or city in which they are to serve for at least six months. Between 60 and 120 citizens “of honesty, intelligence, impartiality and good demeanor” are summoned annually by the circuit court to serve as grand jurors during the year.