§ 132.310 Inquiry into crimes; presentation to court

Grand juries meet in private, not in open court. This keeps their discussions and votes confidential, so witnesses and jurors can speak freely without outside pressure.

Their job is to look into crimes that happened in the county, or crimes that can legally be tried there. They review evidence and decide whether there's enough reason to formally charge someone with a crime.

If the grand jury decides charges are warranted, they bring that decision to the court in one of two ways: through an indictment or a presentment. Both are formal documents that start a criminal case, but they follow slightly different procedures under Oregon law.

This process acts as a check on the government. Before someone can be charged with a serious crime, a group of everyday citizens must first agree that there's enough evidence to move forward.