# Justice Manual § 9-11.120: Power of a Grand Jury Limited by Its Function > Federal · Agency guidance · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.120 ## Section - **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-11.120 - **Heading:** Power of a Grand Jury Limited by Its Function - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Agency guidance - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-11.000 - Grand Jury / Justice Manual § 9-11.120 ## Text The grand jury's power, although expansive, is limited by its function toward possible return of an indictment. Costello v. United States , 350 U.S. 359, 362 (1956). Accordingly, the grand jury cannot be used solely to obtain additional evidence against a defendant who has already been indicted. United States v. Woods , 544 F.2d 242, 250 (6th Cir. 1976), cert. denied sub nom ., Hurt v. United States , 429 U.S. 1062 (1977). Nor can the grand jury be used solely for pre-trial discovery or trial preparation. United States v. Star , 470 F.2d 1214 (9th Cir. 1972). After indictment, the grand jury may be used if its investigation is related to a superseding indictment of additional defendants or additional crimes by an indicted defendant. In re Grand Jury Subpoena Duces Tecum, Dated January 2, 1985 , 767 F.2d 26, 29-30 (2d Cir. 1985); In re Grand Jury Proceedings , 586 F.2d 724 (9th Cir. 1978). Approval Required Prior to Resubmission of Same Matter to Grand Jury: Once a grand jury returns a no-bill or otherwise acts on the merits in declining to return an indictment, the same matter ( i.e., the same transaction or event and the same putative defendant) should not be presented to another grand jury or resubmitted to the same grand jury without first securing the approval of the responsible United States Attorney. Use of Grand Jury to Locate Fugitives: It is improper to utilize the grand jury solely as an investigative aid in the search for a fugitive in whose testimony the grand jury has no interest. In re Pedro Archuleta , 432 F. Supp. 583 (S.D.N.Y. 1977); In re Wood , 430 F. Supp. 41 (S.D.N.Y. 1977), aff'd sub nom In re Cueto , 554 F.2d 14 (2d Cir. 1977). However, if the grand jury has a legitimate interest in the testimony of a fugitive, it may subpoena other witnesses and records in an effort to locate the fugitive. Wood , supra , citing Hoffman v. United States , 341 U.S. 479 (1951) rest. In re Pedro Archuleta , 432 F. Supp. 583 (S.D.N.Y. 1977); In re Wood , 430 F. Supp. 41 (S.D.N.Y. 1977), aff'd sub nom In re Cueto , 554 F.2d 14 (2d Cir. 1977). However, if the grand jury has a legitimate interest in the testimony of a fugitive, it may subpoena other witnesses and records in an effort to locate the fugitive. Wood , supra , citing Hoffman v. United States , 341 U.S. 479 (1951). If the present whereabouts of a fugitive is related to a legitimate grand jury investigation of offenses such as harboring, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1071, 1072, 1381, misprision of felony, 18 U.S.C. § 4, accessory after the fact, 18 U.S.C. § 3, escape from custody, 18 U.S.C. §§ 751, 752, or failure to appear, 18 U.S.C. § 3146, the gran d jury properly may inquire as to the fugitive's whereabouts. See In re Grusse , 402 F. Supp. 1232 (D.Conn. 1975). Unless such collateral interests are present, the grand jury should not be employed in locating fugitives in bail-jumping and escape cases since, as a rule, those offenses relate to the circumstances of defendant's disappearance rather than his or her current whereabouts. Generally, grand jury subpoenas should not be used to locate fugitives in investigations of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. 18 U.S.C. § 1073. Normally an unlawful flight complaint will be dismissed when a fugitive is apprehended and turned over to State authorities to await extradition. Prosecutions for unlawful flight are rare and the statute requires prior written approval of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, or an Assistant Attorney General. See JM 9-69.460 (containing prior approval requirement for § 1073 indictments). Since indictments for unlawful flight are rarely sought, it would be improper to routinely use the grand jury in an effort to locate unlawful flight fugitives e statute requires prior written approval of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, or an Assistant Attorney General. See JM 9-69.460 (containing prior approval requirement for § 1073 indictments). Since indictments for unlawful flight are rarely sought, it would be improper to routinely use the grand jury in an effort to locate unlawful flight fugitives. Obtaining Records to Aid in Location of Federal Fugitives: Alternatives to Grand Jury Subpoenas: Since the enactment of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, law enforcement access to telephone records is covered by Federal statute. See 18 U.S.C. § 2703. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 2703(c)(1)(B) and 2703(c)(2) the government may obtain a "record or other information pertaining to a subscriber" (telephone toll records) without notice to the subscriber by obtaining: (1) an administrative or grand jury subpoena; (2) a search warrant pursuant to State or Federal law; or (3) a court order pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2703(d) based on a finding that the information is relevant to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry. See JM 9-7.000 et seq. for information regarding the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. Occasionally, there may be records other than telephone toll records which might be useful in a fugitive investigation but which cannot be obtained by grand jury subpoena, administrative subpoena, or search warrant. In such instances, it is appropriate to seek a court order for production of the records under the All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651. The All Writs Act provides: The Supreme Court and all courts established by the Act of Congress may issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law trative subpoena, or search warrant. In such instances, it is appropriate to seek a court order for production of the records under the All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651. The All Writs Act provides: The Supreme Court and all courts established by the Act of Congress may issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law. The United States Supreme Court has recognized the power of a Federal court to issue orders under the All Writs Act "as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and prevent the frustration of orders it has previously issued in the exercise of its jurisdiction." See United States v. New York Telephone Co. , 434 U.S. 159, 172 (1977). Because the purpose of the All Writs Act is to aid the court in the exercise of its jurisdiction, an application for an order under the act must be sought only from the United States District Court in which the complaint or indictment is pending. The use of the All Writs Act to obtain records in a fugitive investigation is not a procedure to be used in every fugitive case. The willingness of courts to issue such orders may depend on the selectivity with which such applications are made, and the courts will not condone a wholesale use of the act for this purpose. Thus, the procedure should be used only in extraordinary cases where a strong showing can be made that the records are likely to lead to ascertaining the whereabouts of the fugitive. [cited in JM 9-69.400 ] ## Nearby sections - [Justice Manual § 9-11.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.010.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.101 Powers and Limitations of Grand Juries—The Functions of a Grand Jury](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.101.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.120 Power of a Grand Jury Limited by Its Function](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.120.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.121 Venue Limitations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.121.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.130 Limitation on Naming Persons as Unindicted Co-Conspirators](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.130.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.140 Limitation on Grand Jury Subpoenas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.140.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.141 Fair Credit Reporting Act and Grand Jury Subpoenas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.141.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.142 Grand Jury Subpoenas for Financial Records](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.142.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.150 Subpoenaing Targets of the Investigation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.150.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.151 Advice of "Rights" of Grand Jury Witnesses](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.151.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.152 Requests by Subjects and Targets to Testify Before the Grand Jury](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.152.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.153 Notification of Targets](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.153.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.154 Advance Assertions of an Intention to Claim the Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Compulsory Self-Incrimination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.154.md) - [Justice Manual § 9-11.155 Notification to Targets when Target Status Ends](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.155.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-11.120. 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