In light of the recent negative attention received by grand juries, there has been a call by some to abolish them. While states are not required by the U.S. Constitution to use a grand jury, the federal government is. Thus, absent amending the constitution, always a dangerous proposition, grand juries must be used for all felony crimes unless the defendat waives his right to a grand jury.
Rather than abolish grand juries, I think we should work on improving them. For example, I have long advocated giving grand jurors their own legal advisor.
Resurrecting the Grand Jury's Shield: The Grand Jury Legal Advisor
Slate: The United States Should Finally Abolish Criminal Grand Juries
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