What is the difference between a grand jury and a trial jury in criminal defense law?

In Virginia, a grand jury and a trial jury are both important components of the criminal justice system. The key difference between the two is that a grand jury determines whether there is enough evidence to bring a person to trial, while a trial jury decides the final outcome of a case. A grand jury is made up of twelve to twenty-three people from the community who are chosen to hear evidence presented by prosecutors. This evidence must convince the grand jury that there is enough to charge the accused person with a crime and that the case should go to trial. If the grand jury decides that there is not enough evidence, then the accused person may not be charged with a crime. A trial jury is typically composed of six to twelve citizens who are chosen to decide the guilt or innocence of a defendant in a criminal trial. This jury is given evidence presented by both the prosecution and defense, and they determine whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty. If the jury finds the defendant guilty, then they also determine the appropriate sentence. In summary, the key difference between a grand jury and a trial jury in criminal defense law is that the grand jury decides if there is enough evidence to bring a case to trial and the trial jury decides the defendant’s guilt or innocence. Both juries play a vital role in the criminal justice system in Virginia.

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What is the difference between a grand jury and a trial jury in criminal defense law?

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