Statewide Grand Jury

Statewide Grand Jury Cases

The Statewide Grand Jury (SGJ) was created by the Legislature of South Carolina to prosecute cases on a broader scale. Some parts of the Statewide Grand Jury system are similar to the Federal Criminal Justice System, though not entirely. It is incredibly important to retain competent representation early in a State Grand Jury Case. State Grand Jury cases often get far less court time than typical state court cases so it is best to have an attorney retained as early as possible to maximize results and avoid pre-trial detention.

Additionally, a typical State Grand Jury case (especially drug cases and large drug conspiracy cases) will likely have many co-defendants. Lawyers, with some exceptions, may only represent one person in any indictment. What this means is that if you do not retain competent counsel early, many of the best lawyers will be conflicted out from representing you in your case. Likewise, because court dates are so few in SGJ cases, you have to be prepared to address issues like bond immediately, otherwise you may be stuck for months in jail waiting for another hearing.

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office assigns Assistant Attorney General (not Circuit Solicitors) to handle Statewide Grand Jury cases.

• State Grand Jury Panel
  • The SGJ Panel is composed of South Carolina citizens who come to hear cases. The panel meets in secret and is governed by laws that forbid its jurors from discussing what happens before the panel with anyone.
  • The Grand Jury in South Carolina consists of 18 jurors. At least 12 members of the grand jury must participate and vote for the grand jury to indict a person for a crime.
• State Grand Jury Subpoenas
  • The SGJ has the authority to issue subpoenas for documents and for witnesses’ testimony. If you receive a subpoena or are called to testify before the State Grand Jury or to produce documents to the SGJ, you should contact a lawyer immediately. The lawyers at Watson Fowler are experienced in assisting individuals with these investigations and subpoenas.
• Arrest by SLED
  • Most SGJ cases are investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division (known as ‘SLED’) and will include their own assigned SLED Agent. The attorneys at Watson Fowler routinely interact with SLED investigators to aid in preparing a strong defense in SGJ cases.
• The State Grand Jury Vs. The County Grand Jury
  • The SGJ only has authority to prosecute certain crimes. These crimes often involve evidence, witnesses, and alleged criminal activity that span multiple counties throughout the State as opposed to a single county. The SGJ prosecutes crimes that involve but are not limited to the following:
    • Computer crimes
    • Criminal gang activity
    • Multi-county narcotics conspiracies
    • Money laundering
    • Crimes involving public corruption
    • Election fraud
    • Human trafficking