The Grand Jury Section prepares and presents cases to the grand jury. This special section is under the leadership of a chief felony prosecutor and is staffed by six attorneys on assignment from their respective felony courts, two investigators, one court reporter, and five support personnel.

Every year in Tarrant County, 96 people serve on eight grand juries, which are convened two at a time. A grand jury is composed of twelve Tarrant County residents who serve a three-month term and are paid $10 a day. The grand juries hear an average of 8,000 plus cases per year. The grand jurors are bound by an oath of secrecy that prevents them from disclosing any of the proceedings before them.

When a case has been fully investigated by the appropriate law enforcement and our office, the grand jury attorney assigned to the case must decide what crime has been committed and complete a final draft indictment for presentation to the grand jury. At least once a week, each grand jury attorney meets with the grand jurors to present the cases he has prepared. The presentations can range from summaries by the assistant criminal district attorney to live witness testimony.

After the grand jury hears all of the evidence, it votes on the case in secrecy. A grand jury decides whether sufficient facts justify criminal charges against an accused; it does not determine guilt or innocence. If at least nine grand jurors finds sufficient evidence, the grand jury returns a true bill of indictment. If less than nine grand jurors vote to indict, the case is "no billed." This means that the charges are not presented to a criminal court for trial.