Jury and Grand Jury are important concepts in the American judicial system that both serve critical functions. The word “jury” is derived from the French word “jurer,” which means to swear under oath. A jury is a group of people, known as jurors, who are tasked with determining the truth in a legal case. Trial by a jury is a concept developed to ensure that no innocent person is punished or imprisoned without due process of law. In contrast, a Grand Jury is a special type of jury constituted to decide whether an individual should be charged with a crime or not, rather than determining guilt or innocence.
## Key Takeaways
– A Jury is a group of people who determine the truth in a legal case, while a Grand Jury decides whether an individual should be charged with a crime or not.
– Grand Juries have more jurors than trial juries and do not decide on guilt or innocence.
– Defense attorneys have no role in hearings in front of Grand Juries, whereas they present evidence and testimonies from witnesses in petit (trial) juries.
