Jury

Interlinked Thematic Vocabulary Unit Nº 311 v.01

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    Main Definitions

1. grand jury 1 |n| a jury, usually in the United States, which considers a criminal case in order to decide if someone should be tried in a court of law.
2. "If the defendant waives the indictment (says it is not necessary for the grand jury to look at the evidence), his/her case will go to the Criminal Branch of Supreme Court right away, without being presented to the grand jury."
3. "The grand jury hears evidence in secret only from prosecution witnesses and decides if the defendant should go to trial."
4. "As of September 30, 2006, the Innocence Lost Initiative has resulted in 241 open investigations, 614 arrests, 129 criminal informations or grand jury indictments, and 106 convictions in both the federal and state systems."
5. grand jury 2 |n| a legal body empowered to conduct official proceedings and investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may compel the production of documents and compel sworn testimony of witnesses to appear before it. A grand jury is separate from the courts, which do not preside over its functioning.
6. "Credit reporting agencies must obey court orders and grand jury subpoenas, and use of credit reports by government licensing, social and child support enforcement agencies serves a public purpose."
7. "The same information was requested by a federal grand jury, whose investigation has been going on for more than a year and is allegedly aimed at executives of the New Progressive Party and three project contractors."
8. "The victim does have to testify in the grand jury system."
9. "A presentment will precede a formal arraignment if a defendant is arrested prior to his indictment by a grand jury."
10. grand jury 3 |n| a grand jury does not determine guilt or innocence, but whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime was committed. The evidence is normally presented only by an attorney for the government. The grand jury must determine from this evidence whether a person should have formal charges filed by the government. If the grand jury finds probable cause, then it will return a written statement of the charge called an indictment.
11. "These responsibilities may include the signing of a corroborating affidavit and providing testimony to a grand jury and at trial."
12. "The grand jury rarely hears evidence from the defendant, and never from the defense attorney.The grand jury rarely hears evidence from the defendant, and never from the defense attorney."
13. "The probable cause hearing can be waived, at which time the case goes directly to the Grand Jury."
14. "He or she may also be asked to testify before any grand jury and agrees to provide truthful, complete, and accurate testimony and information on a continuing basis."
15. petit jury 1 |n| a trial for civil and criminal cases. The petit jury listens to evidence presented by both parties during a trial and returns a verdict.
16. petit jury 2 |n| the ordinary panel of twelve persons called to issue a verdict in a civil action or a criminal prosecution.

    Grand and Petit Jury Related Words

1. indictment |n| the formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
2. instructions |n| judge's explanation to the jury before it begins deliberations of the questions it must answer and the law governing the case.
3. jury trial / trial by jury |n| a lawful proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions.
4. verdict |n| the decision made by a petit jury at the end of trial.
5. sequester |v| to separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
6. voir dire |n| the process by which judges and lawyers select a jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."

    People

1. juror |n| a person who is on the jury.
2. jury |n| persons selected according to law and sworn to inquire into and declare a verdict on matters of fact.