The role of a grand jury in the US

Personal Injury Law
1

I am reading Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken by The Secret Barrister (highly recommended!). It provides a brief history of the court system in England and Wales, including the role of juries. Until 1933, grand juries determined whether someone should face trial, with a 12-member jury then deciding guilt or innocence. He notes that grand juries are still used in the US court system.

My questions are:

  • Are grand juries used in US criminal trials?
  • How effective are they?
  • Would a grand jury system in the UK be useful for investigating evidence to decide if someone should face trial?
  • Has this role been replaced by the CPS?
  • Would a grand jury have been beneficial in high-profile cases like the Lucy Letby trial?

I’m considering the significant burden on juries in such cases. It might have been helpful if there was some initial oversight to filter out less clear-cut cases, allowing juries to focus on those with a stronger likelihood of criminal activity.

2

Yep, grand juries in the US decide if there’s enough evidence for trial. In the UK, this role is handled by the CPS now. Grand juries might have helped in cases like Lucy Letby’s by filtering out weaker cases before they go to trial. It’s like an extra check before a full jury gets involved.