SECTIONS 888-892 - California Statutes

PENAL CODE

SECTION 888-892

888. A grand jury is a body of the required number of persons
returned from the citizens of the county before a court of competent
jurisdiction, and sworn to inquire of public offenses committed or
triable within the county.
Each grand jury or, if more than one has been duly impaneled
pursuant to Sections 904.5 to 904.9, inclusive, one grand jury in
each county, shall be charged and sworn to investigate or inquire
into county matters of civil concern, such as the needs of county
officers, including the abolition or creation of offices for, the
purchase, lease, or sale of equipment for, or changes in the method
or system of, performing the duties of the agencies subject to
investigation pursuant to Section 914.1.

888.2. As used in this title as applied to a grand jury, "required
number" means:
(a) Twenty-three in a county having a population exceeding
4,000,000.
(b) Eleven in a county having a population of 20,000 or less, upon
the approval of the board of supervisors.
(c) Nineteen in all other counties.

889. An indictment is an accusation in writing, presented by the
grand jury to a competent court, charging a person with a public
offense.

890. Unless a higher fee or rate of mileage is otherwise provided
by statute or county or city and county ordinance, the fees for grand
jurors are fifteen dollars ($15) a day for each day's attendance as
a grand juror, and the mileage reimbursement applicable to county
employees for each mile actually traveled in attending court as a
grand juror.

890.1. The per diem and mileage of grand jurors where allowed by
law shall be paid by the treasurer of the county out of the general
fund of the county upon warrants drawn by the county auditor upon the
written order of the judge of the superior court of the county.

891. Every person who, by any means whatsoever, willfully and
knowingly, and without knowledge and consent of the grand jury,
records, or attempts to record, all or part of the proceedings of any
grand jury while it is deliberating or voting, or listens to or
observes, or attempts to listen to or observe, the proceedings of any
grand jury of which he is not a member while such jury is
deliberating or voting is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This section is not intended to prohibit the taking of notes by a
grand juror in connection with and solely for the purpose of
assisting him in the performance of his duties as such juror.

892. The grand jury may proceed against a corporation.