The unit also handles all cases presented in Family Court and all bail motions. The Grand Jury Legal staff is responsible for evaluation of the charges, recommendations for administrative actions, direct presentments and pre-indictment diversion referrals. They also prepare cases for grand jury presentation. In addition a paralegal also handles requests for withdrawal of complaints from victims and maintains statistical records. The attorneys may also enter into pre-indictment plea negotiations for selected cases and dispose of these cases through pleas to accusations.
Attorneys interview witnesses and present all cases to one of two grand jury panels.
Defendant's motions to dismiss indictments and pre-indictment suppression motions are briefed by staff attorneys and argued by them in court. Staff attorneys review all agency referrals for inditables, review requests for grand jury transcripts, and determine appropriateness of seeking superseding indictments. One clerk from the support staff schedules grand jury cases, prepares calendars and subpoenas, acts as specified contact for postponements and re-scheduling, refers approved transcript requests to the Clerk of the Grand Jury, and prepares indictments and related documents. Another staff member, a clerk typist, is responsible for the typing and distribution of all administrative dispositions and Promis Gavel data updating. The secretaries prepare briefs, motions, and other legal documents for filing, and also type correspondence, memos and other dictation from staff attorneys.