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

A grand jury and a petit jury are both types of juries used in criminal proceedings in Virginia. However, the two differ in their purpose and makeup. A grand jury is composed of a minimum of sixteen and a maximum of twenty-three individuals. The jurors are selected from the population of the county or city where the criminal charge originated. Grand juries are used to investigate crimes and determine whether there is enough evidence to issue an indictment; that is, whether the evidence is sufficient to charge an individual with a crime and bring them to trial. Conversely, a petit jury, or trial jury, is composed of twelve people who are chosen from the same population pool as the grand jury. The petit jury hears the evidence presented in the trial and has the duty of deciding the guilt or innocence of the defendant. It is the petit jury that returns a verdict of guilty or not-guilty. In summary, the primary difference between a grand jury and a petit jury is that a grand jury hears evidence to determine if a defendant should be indicted, while a petit jury hears the evidence presented in a trial to decide an accused person’s guilt or innocence.

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