Why are grand juries secret bodies?
The law requires grand juries to conduct their deliberations and voting in closed sessions. Grand jurors are also sworn to secrecy and must not reveal what occurs in their private sessions to persons other than fellow grand jurors seated as a body. The courts have consistently upheld the principle of grand jury secrecy. For one reason, grand jurors sometimes receive complaints from the community about public officials or other persons. Some of these complaints are made vindictively or are otherwise so outrageous that if they were made public, a reputation could be severely damaged. The secrecy of grand jury proceedings also allows grand jurors to discuss all aspects of an issue during their sessions without fear of it becoming a divisive controversy in the community.
