What is the difference between a grand jury and a petit jury?

In Texas, a grand jury and a petit jury both serve important roles in the criminal justice system. A grand jury is a panel of citizens that is responsible for determining whether or not someone should be charged with a crime. In most cases, the grand jury hears evidence from the prosecution and decides whether there is enough evidence to move forward with a criminal trial. The grand jury does not determine guilt or innocence—that is the role of a petit jury, which is a panel of citizens that listens to testimony and evidence to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty. The main difference between a grand jury and a petit jury is that a grand jury is made up of more people than a petit jury. In Texas, a grand jury is generally made up of 12 to 23 people while a petit jury is made up of 6 to 12 people. Furthermore, in Texas, a petit jury has the power to render a guilty verdict, while a grand jury is only empowered to decide whether or not someone should be charged with a crime. Overall, the primary difference between a grand jury and a petit jury is that a grand jury is responsible for determining if there is enough evidence to proceed with a criminal trial while a petit jury is responsible for determining the guilt or innocence of the defendant.

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What is the difference between a grand jury and a petit jury?

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