Court Opinion

ID: 9459938
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 21:35:51.137486+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:24.144004
License: Public Domain

SEITZ, Chief Judge
(concurring).
I agree with the opinion of the court that in order to invoke the district court’s powers to enforce obedience to a grand jury subpoena, the government must initially make by affidavit or otherwise some minimal sworn showing of a proper purpose. Indeed, in both Mara and Dionisio, the government did in fact make a showing of a proper purpose, although it is unclear from the factual situation in Dionisio whether the showing there was sworn.
It seems to me that such a minimal requirement is almost indispensable if citizens are to be afforded minimum protection against the possible arbitrary exercise of power by a prosecutor through use of the grand jury machinery. See Campbell, Eliminate the Grand Jury, 64 J.Crim.Law & Criminology 174 (1973). Nor do I believe the minimal showing requirement here imposed is incompatible with Dionisio and Mara.
I also agree that the government showing should be disclosed to the witness unless the court finds a compelling reason for nondisclosure. I believe the government’s disclosure, if the district court is satisfied as to its sufficiency, cannot be made the subject of an adversary hearing by the witness. Such- a hearing would lead to the type of mini-hearing which the Supreme Court condemned in Dionisio. I emphasize my position on this point because if I read the opinion of the court correctly, it does not negate the possibility that the minimal showing of proper purpose can be factually litigated by the witness.
Since the government here made no showing of a proper purpose, the judgment should be reversed without prejudice to the government’s right to renew its petition for enforcement accompanied by the requisite showing. If this is done, the enforcement order will follow unless the witness raises and establishes some properly cognizable legal defense. Certainly, it is clear her Fourth and Fifth Amendment claims would not be valid defenses in view of Dionisio and Mara.
I therefore concur in the reversal of the finding of contempt.