Criminal procedure
Grand Jury
A grand jury is a panel of citizens that hears evidence in secret and decides whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a federal crime.
It is not a trial jury. There is no judge in the room, no defense lawyer, and no requirement to present evidence favoring the target. The standard is probable cause, and a majority vote returns a true bill, which becomes the indictment.
Secrecy is enforced by rule. Grand jury materials are among the most protected records in the system, which is why grand jury matters rarely appear on a public docket until an indictment is unsealed.
The secrecy rule is why so much is invisible. Subpoenas, testimony, and target letters generate no public docket entries, so the first public sign of a long investigation is often the indictment itself.
How it appears on a docket
The public record usually shows only the result: INDICTMENT returned by the Grand Jury and filed in open court on 2/11/2026.
Governing rule
Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
Related terms
- Indictment — An indictment is the formal written accusation, voted by a grand jury, that charges someone with a federal crime and starts the prosecution.
- Sealed Document — A sealed document is a filing the court has ordered kept out of public view, so it appears on the docket but cannot be opened by the public.
More on criminal procedure
See this term in a real case
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