One can only hope to never be investigated or charged with a Federal crime. But if you receive a subpoena to testify before a Federal grand jury, the first thing you should do is contact a Federal Criminal Lawyer because the Federal criminal justice system is an intimidating place to be and you have know idea whether you are:
• the target of the investigation • a subject of the investigation • a witness
There is no 6th Amendment right to counsel in a grand jury proceeding, even for the target of a grand jury investigation. However, counsel may be retained by a grand jury witness and may serve important functions:
• to learn about the intentions of the grand jury • to assist the client in making an informed decision about how to respond to the grand jury’s subpoena • to inform the prosecution that the client will not be bullied during the testimony • to counsel the client about the risks of testifying or not • to obtain a continuance of the schedule grand jury appearance if necessary
If a grand jury witness decides to testify, counsel will prepare the witness for the type of questioning likely to occur inside the grand jury room. A witness has no right to counsel inside the grand jury room. However, counsel will wait outside the room to be available to consult with the client during questioning. Counsel will explain to the client which areas are suitable for questioning and which are not, so that the client recognizes when to ask to leave the grand jury room to confer with counsel.
To navigate through the Federal Court system successfully and have a better chance of not being charged with a Federal Crime, you must contact Wallin & Klarich to help you or your loved one. With over 30 years of experience as Federal Criminal Lawyers, Wallin & Klarich will assist you in this difficult time. Visit our website at www.wklaw.com or call us at 888-749-0034. We will be there when you call.