Educational Materials

By the Midnight Special Law Collective

Materials supporting Grand Jury Reform Legislation

Grand Jury Reform Legislation in the 105th Congress (1998) Sen. Dale Bumpers (D-AR) introduced the Grand Jury Due Process Act (S. 2030) in May 1998. This legislation would have provided a right to assistance of counsel in the grand jury room. In July 1998, Bumpers introduced a more comprehensive reform bill called the Grand Jury Reform Act (S. 2289). In addition to providing a right to counsel's presence, this legislation would have required that grand jurors receive basic legal instructions, that prosecutors present any substantial evidence of innocence, and that defendants receive transcripts of certain grand jury testimony against them. Both bills were referred to the Judiciary Committee. In July 1998, Bumpers offered his right to counsel proposal as an amendment to the CJS appropriations bill, but it was defeated 59-41. Click here for materials relating to Sen. Bumpers' grand jury bills, including floor statements, bill text, and roll call vote.

Congressional Subcommittee Transcript

Hearing before the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary during the 106th Congress. The hearing was convened on July 27, 2000, to hear testimony on the history of the Federal grand jury system -- its origins and its evolution -- and to discuss the plethora of constitutional issues that arise within the Federal grand jury system. The hearing includes testimony from several academic scholars, a U.S. Attorney, and an Assistant U.S. Attorney General, as well as recommendations for reform. Review a transcript of the hearing.

Legal Cases Involving Federal Grand Juries

The Constitution Society, a private non-profit organization dedicated to research and public education on the principles of constitutional republican government, developed a list of contemporary legal cases involving federal grand juries, as well as other materials examining the grand jury system. Especially relevant are recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that help define the role of grand juries in our society.

Grand Jury Resistance Project