What do grand juries do?
In California, grand juries have three functions: (a) to indict, or refuse to indict, persons accused of crimes; (b) to issue accusations for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance against public officers; and (c) to investigate specified local governments as required or permitted by law. The latter power, sometimes known as the “watchdog” function, consumes most of the time of grand juries. In California, some grand juries are created only for the purpose of indictments.
