There are two types of juries — the Grand Jury and the Petit Jury.

A Grand Jury is empaneled every six months. In Winn Parish, this is done in March and September. The Grand Jury does not appear in a trial, but listens to evidence presented by the District Attorney and determines from the evidence if sufficient probable cause exists for bringing formal criminal charges against an individual. For someone to be charged with a crime with a penalty of life imprisonment or death, a Grand Jury must be convened and return an indictment.

A Petit Jury can either be a civil jury or a criminal jury. This is just what type of case would be presented to the jury. It could be a 12 person or a 6 person jury. If you are selected to serve on the jury, your term of service will be determined by the Court, however most trials don’t last more than a week at the most. Trials vary depending on the complexity and subject. The Petit Jury listens to evidence offered during a trial and returns a verdict.