(Napa) Time to apply for grand jury

Napa Valley Register, by Vic Connell / Foreperson, Napa County grand jury 2012-13

February is Grand Jury Awareness Month in many California counties. The Napa County Superior Court is encouraging residents to apply to become members of the 2013-14 grand jury on which 19 appointed jurors will be impaneled for one year, from July to June.

The civil grand jury serves as a citizen local government watchdog. It is an official entity of the superior court, with important investigative powers, but it has no enforcement authority.

In addition to a routine review of governmental agencies, the grand jury may respond to specific citizens’ complaints, investigate areas of public concern identified in the media, follow up on recommendations by previous grand juries, and various other sources of information.

When appropriate, the grand jury can issue reports of its findings and recommendations in formal reports, to which the local government agencies or officials are required by law to respond. These formal reports are also distributed to local media, public libraries, and can be viewed by the public on the Napa County Superior Court website.

There are many individual benefits to serving on the grand jury. It can be a unique opportunity to contribute to your community and learn about how your local government functions, while serving with a diverse group of fellow citizens.

As a result of your service, you will meet and likely develop friendships with other county residents who have a broad range of experience and interests.

Although service on the grand jury is probably best suited for retired or semi-retired citizens — because it requires many hours a week over 12 months to undergo training, conduct investigations, participate in interviews, tour jails, and write reports — anyone willing to devote the amount of time required to be an active, effective member is encouraged to apply.

Please consider applying to be a member of the 2013-2014 grand jury. More information and applications are available at the Napa County grand jury website: napa.courts.ca.gov.