Grand Jury Testimony

The grand jury is how federal prosecutors formally charge or indict a person with a federal crime. The federal prosecutors call witnesses before the grand jury, which then decides if there is sufficient evidence to indict someone with a federal crime. When a person receives a subpoena to testify before a grand jury, as with an investigation, it is not always clear whether the federal government has subpoenaed the person as a witness or as a potential target for indictment. As with an investigation, a federal criminal defense lawyer can help a grand jury witness determine the likely purpose of the subpoena, how to avoid potential traps and pitfalls when providing testimony, or when to "take the fifth". The lawyer may also be able to work out a deal for immunity, or for "use immunity", which means the government will not use testimony the witness provided before the grand jury in a criminal prosecution against the witness.