(1)  The managing judge shall designate the place where the grand jury meets. The grand jury may, upon request and with the permission of the managing judge, meet and conduct business any place within the state. Subject to the approval of the managing judge the grand jury shall determine the times at which it meets.

Terms Used In Utah Code 77-10a-13

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Guardian: includes a person who:Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court.
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Managing judge: means the supervising judge when he retains authority to manage a grand jury, or the district court judge to whom the supervising judge delegates management of a grand jury. See Utah Code 77-10a-1
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: means :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Subject: means a person whose conduct is within the scope of the grand jury's investigation, and that conduct exposes the person to possible criminal prosecution. See Utah Code 77-10a-1
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Target: means a person regarding whom the attorney for the state, the special prosecutor, or the grand jury has substantial evidence that links that person to the commission of a crime and who could be indicted or charged with that crime. See Utah Code 77-10a-1
  • Testify: means to make an oral statement under oath or affirmation. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Witness: means a person who appears before the grand jury either voluntarily or pursuant to subpoena for the purpose of providing testimony or evidence for the grand jury's use in discharging its responsibilities. See Utah Code 77-10a-1
(2) 

(a)  Attorneys representing the state, special prosecutors appointed under Section 77-10a-12, the witness under examination, interpreters when needed, counsel for a witness, and a court reporter or operator of a recording device to record the proceedings may be present while the grand jury is in session.

(b)  No person other than the jurors may be present while the grand jury is deliberating.

(3) 

(a)  The attorneys representing the state and the special prosecutors may subpoena witnesses to appear before the grand jury and may subpoena evidence in the name of the grand jury without the prior approval or consent of the grand jury or the court. The jury may request that other witnesses or evidence be subpoenaed.

(b)  Subpoenas may be issued in the name of the grand jury to any person located within the state and for any evidence located within the state or as otherwise provided by law.

(c)  Except as provided in Subsection (3)(d), a subpoena requiring a minor, who is a victim of a crime, to testify before a grand jury may not be served less than 72 hours before the victim is required to testify.

(d)  A subpoena may be served upon a minor less than 72 hours before the minor is required to testify if the managing judge makes a factual finding that the minor was intentionally concealed to prevent service or that a shorter period is reasonably necessary to prevent:

(i)  a risk to the minor’s safety;

(ii)  the concealment or removal of the minor from the jurisdiction;

(iii)  intimidation or coercion of the minor or a family member of the minor; or

(iv)  undue influence on the minor regarding the minor’s testimony.

(e)  The service requirement in Subsection (3)(c) may be asserted only by or on behalf of the minor and is not a basis for invalidation of the minor’s testimony or any indictment issued by the grand jury.

(f)  The service requirement of Subsection (3)(d) may be asserted by a parent or legal guardian of the minor on the minor’s behalf.

(g)  If the managing judge finds it necessary to prevent any of the actions enumerated in Subsections (3)(d)(i) through (iv) or to otherwise protect the minor, the judge may appoint a guardian ad litem to receive service on behalf of the minor, to represent the minor, and to protect the interests of the minor.

(h)  If the minor served under Subsection (3)(d) has no parent, legal guardian, or guardian ad litem with whom to confer prior to the grand jury hearing, the managing judge shall appoint legal counsel to represent the minor at the hearing.

(i)  For any minor served with a subpoena under this section, attorneys representing the state, or special prosecutors appointed under Section 77-10a-12, shall interview and prepare the minor in the presence of the minor’s parent or legal guardian and their attorney, or a guardian ad litem at least 24 hours prior to the time the minor is required to testify. The provisions of this subsection requiring the presence of the minor’s parent do not apply if:

(i)  the parent is the subject of the grand jury investigation; or

(ii)  the parent is engaged in frustrating, or conspires with another to frustrate, the protections and purposes of Subsection (3)(d).

(j)  The managing judge may enter any order necessary to secure compliance with any subpoena issued in the name of the grand jury.

(4) 

(a)  Any witness who appears before the grand jury shall be advised, by the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor, of his right to be represented by counsel.

(b)  A witness who is also a subject as defined in Section 77-10a-1 shall, at the time of appearance as a witness, be advised:

(i)  of his right to be represented by counsel;

(ii)  that he is a subject;

(iii)  that he may claim his privilege against self-incrimination; and

(iv)  of the general scope of the grand jury’s investigation.

(c)  A witness who is also a target as defined in Section 77-10a-1 shall, at the time of appearance as a witness, be advised:

(i)  of his right to be represented by counsel;

(ii)  that he is a target;

(iii)  that he may claim his privilege against self-incrimination;

(iv)  that the attorney for the state, the special prosecutor, or the grand jury is in possession of substantial evidence linking him to the commission of a crime for which he could be charged; and

(v)  of the general nature of that charge and of the evidence that would support the charge.

(d)  This Subsection (4) does not require the attorney for the state, the special prosecutor, or the grand jury to disclose to any subject or target the names or identities of witnesses, sources of information, or informants, or disclose information in detail or in a fashion that would jeopardize or compromise any ongoing criminal investigation or endanger any person or the community.

(5) 

(a)  The grand jury shall receive evidence without regard for the formal rules of evidence, except the grand jury may receive hearsay evidence only under the same provisions and limitations that apply to preliminary hearings.

(b)  Any person, including a witness who has previously testified or produced books, records, documents, or other evidence, may present exculpatory evidence to the attorney representing the state or the special prosecutor and request that it be presented to the grand jury, or request to appear personally before the grand jury to testify or present evidence to that body. The attorney for the state or the special prosecutor shall forward the request to the grand jury.

(c)  When the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor is personally aware of substantial and competent evidence negating the guilt of a subject or target that might reasonably be expected to lead the grand jury not to indict, the attorney or special prosecutor shall present or otherwise disclose the evidence to the grand jury before the grand jury is asked to indict that person.

(6) 

(a)  The managing judge has the contempt power and authority inherent in the court over which the managing judge presides and as provided by statute.

(b)  When a witness in any proceeding before or ancillary to any grand jury appearance refuses to comply with an order from the managing judge to testify or provide other information, including any book, paper, document, record, recording, or other material without having a recognized privilege, the attorney for the state or special prosecutor may apply to the managing judge for an order directing the witness to show cause why the witness should not be held in contempt.

(c)  After submission of the application and a hearing at which the witness is entitled to be represented by counsel, the managing judge may hold the witness in contempt and order that the witness be confined, upon a finding that the refusal was not privileged.

(d)  A hearing may not be held under this part unless 72 hours’ notice is given to the witness who has refused to comply with the order to testify or provide other information, except a witness may be given a shorter notice if the managing judge upon a showing of special need so orders.

(e)  Any confinement for refusal to comply with an order to testify or produce other information shall continue until the witness is willing to give the testimony or provide the information. A period of confinement may not exceed the term of the grand jury, including extensions, before which the refusal to comply with the order occurred. In any event the confinement may not exceed one year.

(f)  A person confined under this Subsection (6) for refusal to testify or provide other information concerning any transaction, set of transactions, event, or events may not be again confined under this Subsection (6) or for criminal contempt for a subsequent refusal to testify or provide other information concerning the same transaction, set of transactions, event, or events.

(g)  Any person confined under this section may be admitted to bail or released in accordance with local procedures pending the determination of an appeal taken by the person from the order of the person’s confinement unless the appeal affirmatively appears to be frivolous or taken for delay. Any appeal from an order of confinement under this section shall be disposed of as soon as practicable, pursuant to an expedited schedule and in no event more than 30 days from the filing of the appeal.

(7) 

(a)  All proceedings, except when the grand jury is deliberating or voting, shall be recorded stenographically or by an electronic recording device. An unintentional failure of any recording to reproduce all or any portion of a proceeding does not affect the validity of any prosecution or indictment. The recording or reporter’s notes or any transcript prepared from them shall remain in the custody or control of the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor unless otherwise ordered by the managing judge in a particular case.

(b)  A grand juror, an interpreter, a court reporter, an operator of a recording device, a typist who transcribes recorded testimony, an attorney for the state or special prosecutor, or any person to whom disclosure is made under the provisions of this section may not disclose matters occurring before the grand jury except as otherwise provided in this section. A knowing violation of this provision may be punished as a contempt of court.

(c)  Disclosure otherwise prohibited by this section of matters occurring before the grand jury, other than its deliberations and the vote of any grand juror, may be made to:

(i)  an attorney for the state or a special prosecutor for use in the performance of that attorney’s duty; and

(ii)  government personnel, including those of state, local, and federal entities and agencies, as are considered necessary by the attorney for the state or special prosecutor to assist the attorney in the performance of the attorney’s duty to enforce the state’s criminal laws.

(d)  Any person to whom matters are disclosed under this section may not utilize that grand jury material for any purpose other than assisting the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor in performance of that attorney’s duty to enforce the state’s criminal laws. An attorney for the state or the special prosecutor shall promptly provide the managing judge with the names of the persons to whom the disclosure has been made and shall certify that the attorney has advised the person of the person’s obligation of secrecy under this section.

(e)  Disclosure otherwise prohibited by this section of matters occurring before the grand jury may also be made when:

(i)  directed by the managing judge or by any court before which the indictment that involves matters occurring before the grand jury that are subject to disclosure is to be tried, preliminary to or in connection with a judicial proceeding;

(ii)  permitted by the managing judge at the request of the defendant, upon a showing that grounds may exist for a motion to dismiss the indictment because of matters occurring before the grand jury;

(iii)  the disclosure is made by an attorney for the state or the special prosecutor to another state or local grand jury or a federal grand jury;

(iv)  permitted by the managing judge at the request of an attorney for the state or the special prosecutor, upon a showing that the matters may disclose a violation of federal criminal law, to an appropriate official of the federal government for the purpose of enforcing federal law; or

(v)  showing of special need is made and the managing judge is satisfied that disclosure of the information or matters is essential for the preparation of a defense.

(f)  When the matters are transcripts of testimony given by witnesses the state or special prosecutor intends to call in the state’s case in chief in any trial upon an indictment returned by the grand jury before which the witnesses testified, the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor shall, no later than 30 days before trial, provide the defendant with access to the transcripts. The attorney for the state or the special prosecutor shall at the same time provide the defendant with access to all exculpatory evidence presented to the grand jury prior to indictment.

(g)  When the managing judge orders disclosure of matters occurring before the grand jury, disclosure shall be made in a manner, at a time, and under conditions the managing judge directs.

(h)  A petition for disclosure made under Subsection (7)(e)(ii) shall be filed with the managing judge. Unless the hearing is ex parte, the petitioner shall serve written notice upon the attorney for the state or the special prosecutor, the parties to the judicial proceeding if disclosure is sought in connection with the proceeding, and other persons as the managing judge directs. The managing judge shall afford those persons a reasonable opportunity to appear and be heard.

(8)  Records, orders, and subpoenas relating to grand jury proceedings shall be kept under seal to the extent and so long as necessary to prevent disclosure of matters occurring before the grand jury other than as provided in this section.

(9)  Subject to any right to an open hearing in contempt proceedings, the managing judge shall order a hearing on matters affecting a grand jury proceeding to be closed to the extent necessary to prevent disclosure of matters occurring before a grand jury.

Amended by Chapter 281, 2018 General Session

  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 10a Contents