Section 221. Summoning Investigating Grand Jurors

(A) After issuing an order summoning an investigating grand jury, the court shall order the officials designated by law to summon prospective jurors to summon not less than 38 persons eligible by law to serve as grand jurors.

(B) The summons shall be made returnable on such date as is ordered by the court.

Comment

See 42 Pa.C.S. § § 4521—4524 for the Judicial Code provisions on the selection of prospective jurors.

The number of persons initially summoned for an investigating grand jury has been fixed at no less than 38 to accommodate the requirements for a maximum of 15 alternates as specified in Rule 222. See also 42 Pa.C.S. § 4545(a) (investigating grand jury shall have a minimum of 7 and not more than 15 alternates).

Official Note

Rule 252 adopted June 26, 1978, effective January 9, 1979; amended January 28, 1983, effective July 1, 1983; amended August 12, 1993, effective September 1, 1993; renumbered Rule 221 and amended March 1, 2000, effective April 1, 2001; amended October 17, 2002, effective January 1, 2003.

Committee Explanatory Reports:

Report explaining the August 12, 1993 amendments published at 22 Pa.B. 3826 (July 25, 1992).

Final Report explaining the March 1, 2000 reorganization and renumbering of the rules published with the Court’s Order at 30 Pa.B. 1477 (March 18, 2000).

Final Report explaining the October 17, 2002 amendments concerning the number of alternate grand juror published with the Court’s Order at 32 Pa.B. 5407 (November 2, 2002).

The provisions of this Rule 221 amended October 17, 2002, effective January 1, 2003, 32 Pa.B. 5406. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (264152).