Grand Jury Defense

State and Federal Grand Jury Defense Attorney

Felony crimes under Texas law and practically all serious federal offenses are charged by indictment. That means that a prosecuting attorney presents evidence of a crime and charging recommendations to a grand jury during or shortly after a criminal investigation. The grand jury decides whether the evidence presented by the government is sufficient to justify charging a person with a crime. The grand jury's decision to charge a person with one or more specific crimes is called an indictment, which is the beginning of the formal criminal case against the defendant. Nevertheless, the indictment might reflect months of intensive investigation into the conduct of one, several or many individuals.

The grand jury system gives a skilled defense attorney many opportunities to protect a client's interests long before the indictment is returned. To learn how you can benefit from energetic representation before formal criminal charges are filed against you, contact Fort Worth defense lawyer Shawn Matlock for a free consultation.

The best time to hire a defense attorney is at the first moment you become aware that you might be in trouble. This might come in the form of a visit from state or federal investigators, it might appear in the mail as a subpoena to appear before a grand jury or you might hear that a close business associate has been arrested or required to provide grand jury testimony.

At The Matlock Law Firm, we understand that your options and strategic alternatives will never be more open than they are before indictment. While the investigation is pending, we can advise you about the best ways to minimize your exposure to punishment. We can help you get through grand jury testimony without making things worse for yourself. We can even mount a parallel investigation and negotiate with the prosecution to try to make sure that you will never have to face the most serious charges the government might have in mind for you.

Whether your criminal exposure involves drugs, a violent crime, or any form of fraud, an effective defense in the grand jury stage of the case can save you a great deal of trouble. To learn how you can benefit from our client service even before formal state or federal criminal charges against you are even filed, contact The Matlock Law Firm in Fort Worth for a free consultation about your circumstances.