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.
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Federal Criminal System 
