Only with thorough preparation and proper presentation by an assistant prosecutor can a grand jury be expected to make an intelligent decision concerning the appropriate charges to be billed, no billed, or remanded. Secondly, a one-sided, incomplete presentation may result in an indictment which is not based on objective facts and can unfairly cause a defendant to be brought to trial. Thorough preparation before grand jury avoids unnecessary duplication of work and future delay while reports are being prepared or witnesses located. Our goal is to dispose of cases in a fair but expeditious manner. Delay favors the defendant.
Witnesses relocate, evidence is lost and memories dim when unnecessary delay is permitted.
For those reasons we are committed to strong case preparation pre-grand jury. All pretrial hearings are required to take place prior to the pretrial conference. If the matter is not disposed of at the pretrial conference stage a plea cutoff is imposed and a trial date is scheduled. Cases are generally more easily resolved when one's adversary knows that the State's case is complete and the assistant prosecutor is ready to go to trial. Proper pretrial preparation requires that a files be assigned as quickly as possible to an individual attorney.