The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1962-03-15
Judge Hamill Gives
Grand Jury Charge

Associate Judge Stuart f. Ham
i'll delivered his first charge to the
grand jury on Monday as the
March term jurors assembled in
the court room
Judge Hamil pointed out the
duties and responsibilities of the
jurors in his charge which was a
necessity before they retired to
legin their deliberations and in
estigations into alleged infrac-
IONS of the law.
The charge is given here in full.
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury:
First of all | should like to take
this opportunity to welcome you to
Court and express my thanks in
advance for the service you are
about TO render your Court, your
County the State and your Coun-
try. You have been chosen in the
manner prescribed by law to serve
as Grand Jurors for the March,
1862, Term of the Circuit Court
for Garrett County, Maryland.
realize that this is an imposition
upon many of you but at the
same time you must realize it is a
distinct privilege you have been
asked to serve on the Grand Jury.
| am sure that some of you have
served previously and it will not
be a new experience. Others may
not have served heretofore. but in
any event, it is customary for the
presiding Judge to give you GER
tain instructions to guide you in
the performance of your duties. 1t
has been said that Jury service is
one of the highest duties of citi-
zenShip, for by it the citizen parti-
cipates in the administration of
justice between individual and
individual and government and in
dividual. The qualifications of
Jurors is that he must be at least
25 years of age and not more than
20. There is no property owner
ship required only that you be
registered voters.
The institution Of the Grand
Jury as it existed in England at
the time of the settlement of this
Country, was adopted by the
Declaration of Rights of the Con
stitution of Maryland as funda-
mental and integral part of the
judicial system OF this State. Since
then, no material change has
been made in the procedure or
powers of the Grand Jury thus,
upon qualification as a Grand
Juror, the same oath that was adj
miniStcrcd TO you here today was
used in England prior to settle
mcnt of this Country. The Grand
Jury was designed to be a body
of discreet and intelligent persons
called together, not to act hastily
and inadVisedly upon accusation
against a citizen and place him on
trial, but to protect the public in
terest and vindicate the dignity of
the public law. In addition to be-
ing an accusing body, you are also
a QuaSi-judicial tribunal. That
means you make decisions, you
make decision as to whether or
not an individual will have TO
ObhiiO u ldi Oii tllN NliSAl KID dSdlIlSl
him 1t is your duty to investigate
alleged violations of the Criminal
Laws of this State that may have
been committed in this County.
NUdr tuncllOn IS that OF an accuS-
ing body. You do not try the cases
with the view to determine the
guilt or innocence of the accused
That is the function of the Petit
Jury. You decide whether or not
there is sufficient evidence pro
duccd before you TO warrant the
finding of an Indictment and to
bring the accused to trial before
the Petit Jury or before the Court.
In your consideration of cases that
are brought before you, only legal
evidence should be considered
If you desire advice as TO what is
or is not legal advice, you should
consult with Mr.. Slower, the States
Attorney. He will be your legal
advisor in these proceedings He