I’ve been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury as a witness. What does this mean and what should I do?
If you’ve been subpoenaed as a witness in front of a grand jury what that means is a grand jury is investigating a criminal case or believes somebody has engaged in some type of criminal activity that you may be a witness to or may be able to provide evidence in support of that claim.
But if you’ve received that subpoena, my advice would be to consult with an experienced federal criminal defense attorney for a couple of reasons. One, you want to make sure that you’re not the subject of that criminal investigation because if you are you have an absolute right to invoke your right to remain silent and not testify at the grand jury. Also by hiring an attorney, they can consult with the prosecutor to find out the nature and scope of your testimony and limit it to just those facts that they need and so that way that can protect you as well.
So my advice is if you’ve been subpoenaed, talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney so you know whether or not you need to invoke your right to remain silent and whether or not you’re simply going to remain as a witness or is there a potential that you can become a target of the criminal investigation and later on a defendant.
Author Bio
James P. Whalen
James P. Whalen is the managing attorney and founder of Whalen Law Office, a Texas criminal defense firm offering personalized legal representation for various federal criminal charges. With a commitment to providing comfort and guidance during challenging times, Mr. Whalen serves as both an attorney and counselor to his clients, helping them navigate their cases while striving to restore normalcy to their lives.
In an inherently unbalanced criminal justice system, Mr. Whalen takes on cases with unwavering dedication. With decades of legal experience, he offers representation across various criminal charges, including white-collar crimes, violent crimes, drug charges, and more. Mr. Whalen’s numerous accolades, including Super Lawyer recognition and board certification in Criminal Appellate Law and Criminal Law, reflect his unwavering commitment to ethical and high-quality legal representation.
