Friday, January 30, 2015

[Orange County] Commentary: Grand jury service is a noble art


Have you wondered how our county and city governments truly operate? How our jails are run? Are you interested in giving back and making a positive difference in your community?
One of the best opportunities to get an insider's view of local governments and agencies, and to improve the lives of fellow citizens, is to become a grand juror.
The Orange County Grand Jury is composed of 19 citizens who perform two types of functions: They receive evidence of serious crimes and determine whether to issue an indictment charging one or more felonies; and they investigate county and local governments and agencies to ensure that their activities are efficient and the services they provide are within the confines of the law.
The grand jury can also inquire into the actions of public officials who it believes may be committing malfeasance — for example, corruption or violation of the public trust. If the grand jury believes that a public official may be guilty of malfeasance, it can refer the matter to the district attorney's office for possible prosecution.
The Orange County Grand Jury is an independent public watchdog that is free to inquire into any governmental unit in the county. No one can dictate to the grand jury to investigate, or not investigate, any agency or any individual. That is the grand jury's sole discretion.
An investigation can be triggered in any number of ways: an anonymous tip, a formal complaint, an article in the newspaper, a belief by one of the grand jurors that a public agency may have committed wrongdoing.
At the conclusion of its investigations, the grand jury prepares and publishes a report with recommendations for improvements. By law, the government or agency reported on must respond to the report in writing.
In performing their duties, the grand jurors conduct extensive tours of various county facilities and get to meet the movers and shakers of the county. In the process, they gain extensive knowledge of how county governments and agencies, such as school and special districts, do their jobs.
The work is interesting and challenging; indeed, it has been characterized as life-changing by some former grand jurors. The term of the next grand jury runs from July 1 to June 30, 2016. It is almost a full-time job. On average, the grand jurors meet four and a half days a week.
Each grand jury sets its own schedule and typically observes the 13 court holidays, with an additional two weeks off during the year of service. Other time-off requests are submitted to the foreperson for approval. Grand jurors receive a stipend of $50 per day, mileage reimbursement and free parking in the basement of the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, where they meet.
The grand jurors must be 18 years or older, U.S. citizens and residents of Orange County for at least one year and have a sufficient command of the English language to be able to prepare reports. Experience has taught that the best grand jurors are those individuals who are committed to the job, who are diligent, who work well in a group, and who can write well and operate a computer — especially the word-processing function.
The court is seeking applicants from throughout Orange County. I encourage those who meet the minimum qualifications and who are able to devote one year of public service to go to http://www.ocgrandjury.org to learn more and fill out the application. Applications can also be obtained by calling (657) 622-6747. The application deadline is Friday.
January 26, 2015
Daily Pilot
By Charles Margines , assistant presiding judge of the Orange County Superior Court

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