grand jury

noun

a jury, at common law, of 12 to 23 persons, designated to inquire into alleged violations of the law in order to ascertain whether the evidence is sufficient to warrant trial.

grand jury

noun

law (esp in the US and, now rarely, in Canada) a jury of between 12 and 23 persons summoned to inquire into accusations of crime and ascertain whether the evidence is adequate to found an indictment. Abolished in Britain in 1948 Compare petit jury

grand jury

A jury that decides whether the evidence warrants bringing an accused person to trial. Once indicted ( see indictment ) by a grand jury, a person must stand trial.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of grand jury¹

First recorded in 1490–1500, grand jury is from Anglo-French graund juree

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A grand jury inquiry into whether charges should be brought against Aimee’s kidnappers — but which actually served to challenge her tale — was conducted publicly.

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The court document does not provide specifics about the new offences, but prosecutors allege that they stem from a grand jury investigation.

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County Sheriff Lee Baca, convicted in 2017 of thwarting a federal investigation for his role in keeping an informant out of the reach of his FBI handlers and away from a grand jury.

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A federal grand jury indicted Kingston and Turner in July.

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Last May, a grand jury indicted Wiederhorn on charges that he hid taxable income from the federal government by dispersing “shareholder loans” from the company to himself and his family.

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grand juror grandkid

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