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Grand Jury
Description
The Grand Jury is composed of twelve citizens who are chosen at random
by a circuit judge, who presides over the Grand Jury. A new Grand Jury
is chosen for each of the three Terms of Court held each year. Since
the St. Louis County Grand Jury meets every Wednesday during the term, a
Grand Juror can expect to serve approximately sixteen to twenty days
during that period.
The Grand Jury's function is to make an important preliminary decision
about a criminal charge: whether or not probable cause exists that a
crime has been committed and that the accused committed it. All felony
charges must be presented for consideration either by the Grand Jury or
by an associate circuit judge at a preliminary examination, and a
little less than half of the cases prosecuted in St. Louis County are
presented to the Grand Jury. If probable cause is found in either of
these equivalent proceedings, a "True Bill" is found, an indictment is
filed, and the criminal charge against the accused may continue on to
trial or plea of guilty. If probable cause is not found, a "No True
Bill" is found, and prosecution of the case ceases. The Grand Jury,
thus, determines the future of all criminal cases brought before it.
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