Why have I received a grand jury subpoena?

Grand jury subpoenas are not issued by the grand jury, they are issued by prosecutors that run and control the grand jury. It is essential if you get a grand jury subpoena that you contact a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney. You cannot ever go to a grand jury without knowledgeable, experienced criminal defense counsel. If you do, you are wading into treacherous waters with virtually no protection. You would be foolish to assume that the prosecutor that subpoenaed you, or that the grand jurors are looking out for your rights. They want you to come before the grand jury either because you’re a target, in other words, they wanna charge you. You’re a subject, which means they wanna charge you. Or because they think you’re a witness and as a witness to criminal activity, you can go from being a witness to being a subject or a target that fast. So be smart. If you get a Federal grand jury subpoena or in rare cases, a state grand jury subpoena, immediately contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to represent you. Don’t call the prosecutor back, don’t call the agents back, don’t talk to the agents if you’re served, just say, “Thank you very much.” Take the subpoena and call us.

By Jeffrey S. Weiner, P.A.