Grand Jury Reform Act

Summary

Grand Jury Reform Act - Gives a U.S. district court, upon application for a contempt order from a grand jury, the authority to confine a recalcitrant witness should he be found in contempt. Prohibits a recalcitrant witness from being confined for a subsequent refusal to testify concerning the same transaction or event. Provides that the court may order a witness to testify or produce other evidence even though the witness claims that such testimony or evidence may tend to incriminate him. States that such witness shall not be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which he is compelled, after having claimed his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence. Declares that no witness shall be exempt from prosecution for perjury or contempt committed while giving testimony or producing evidence under compulsion as provided in this Act. Requires a district court to give adequate and reasonable notice upon the impanelment of the grand jury concerning the following: the grand jury's duty to inquire into offenses against the laws of the U.S. which have been committed within that district; its authority to make independent inquiry; its right to question witnesses; its right to request production of documents; and such other duties as the court deems advisable. Permits an impaneled grand jury to inquire of its own initiative about offenses against the U.S. Outlines the term of service of the grand jury. Authorizes the court appointment of a special attorney to assist the grand jury if so requested. Specifies that such attorney shall have the exclusive authority to assist the grand jury, and shall sign any indicment returned by such jury. States that any subpena summoning a witness to appear before a grand jury shall advise the witness of : (1) his right to counsel; (2) his right against self-incrimination; (3) whether his own conduct is under investigation by the grand jury; (4) the subject matter of the grand jury investigation; (5) the substantive criminal statute or statutes, violation of which is under consideration by the grand jury; and (6) any other rights and privileges which the court deems necessary and appropriate. States the circumstances under which the district court before which a grand jury is impaneled shall dismiss any indictment of the grand jury. Provides that a witness may not refuse to testify before a Federal agency or Congress on the ground that such testimony may tend to incriminate him. States that no information compelled under order, after such privilege is claimed, may be used against the witness in any criminal case except a prosecution for perjury. Requires the Attorney General or an Assistant Attorney General to report to Congress and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts each year concerning grand jury investigations.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 11 March 1975

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.