California Waiver of Trial by Jury and Special Findings of Fact

A jury trial is usually heavily favored by most defendants because it allows twelve persons, rather than one, to determine witness credibility and, in some cases, unreasonable conduct by police. Some people consider a jury trial a right against government oppression.

Secrecy. Grand jury proceedings are secret. No judge is present; the proceedings are led by a prosecutor; and the defendant has no right to present his case or (in many instances) to be informed of the proceedings at all.The case for such secrecy was unanimously upheld by the Burger Court in Douglas Oil Co.

A grand jury is involved early in a case. It is up to them to determine whether or not charges should be brought against a suspect. A trial jury, on the other hand, is involved at the end of a case, when it goes to trial.

All defendants in state criminal cases are entitled to jury trials according to the federal standard for "serious penalties" used by the Supreme Court. However, if the offense carries a sentence of 6 months or less, then a jury trial isn't mandated and the state can decide whether to require a jury trial.

The grand jury plays an important role in the criminal process, but not one that involves a finding of guilt or punishment of a party. Instead, a prosecutor will work with a grand jury to decide whether to bring criminal charges or an indictment against a potential defendant -- usually reserved for serious felonies.

A grand jury is a jurya group of citizensempowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify.

The jury listens to the evidence during a trial, decides what facts the evidence has established, and draws inferences from those facts to form the basis for their decision. The jury decides whether a defendant is "guilty" or "not guilty" in criminal cases, and "liable" or "not liable" in civil cases.

The trial is a structured process where the facts of a case are presented to a jury, and they decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty of the charge offered.During trial, the prosecutor uses witnesses and evidence to prove to the jury that the defendant committed the crime(s).

Smaller than a grand jury, a trial jury usually consists of six to twelve people. The individual jurors will have to work for the full length of the trial, which could last a few days, several weeks, or even months. Trial court procedure is extremely strict and controlled entirely by the judge.