Chapter 1. General Provisions of California Penal Code >> Title 4. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1.

A grand jury is a body of the required number of persons returned from the citizens of the county before a court of competent jurisdiction, and sworn to inquire of public offenses committed or triable within the county. Each grand jury or, if more than one has been duly impaneled pursuant to Sections 904.5 to 904.9, inclusive, one grand jury in each county, shall be charged and sworn to investigate or inquire into county matters of civil concern, such as the needs of county officers, including the abolition or creation of offices for, the purchase, lease, or sale of equipment for, or changes in the method or system of, performing the duties of the agencies subject to investigation pursuant to Section 914.1.

As used in this title as applied to a grand jury, "required number" means:
  (a) Twenty-three in a county having a population exceeding 4,000,000.
  (b) Eleven in a county having a population of 20,000 or less, upon the approval of the board of supervisors.
  (c) Nineteen in all other counties.

An indictment is an accusation in writing, presented by the grand jury to a competent court, charging a person with a public offense.

Unless a higher fee or rate of mileage is otherwise provided by statute or county or city and county ordinance, the fees for grand jurors are fifteen dollars ($15) a day for each day's attendance as a grand juror, and the mileage reimbursement applicable to county employees for each mile actually traveled in attending court as a grand juror.

The per diem and mileage of grand jurors where allowed by law shall be paid by the treasurer of the county out of the general fund of the county upon warrants drawn by the county auditor upon the written order of the judge of the superior court of the county.

Every person who, by any means whatsoever, willfully and knowingly, and without knowledge and consent of the grand jury, records, or attempts to record, all or part of the proceedings of any grand jury while it is deliberating or voting, or listens to or observes, or attempts to listen to or observe, the proceedings of any grand jury of which he is not a member while such jury is deliberating or voting is guilty of a misdemeanor. This section is not intended to prohibit the taking of notes by a grand juror in connection with and solely for the purpose of assisting him in the performance of his duties as such juror.

The grand jury may proceed against a corporation.