# Justice Manual § 9-23.211: Decision to Request Immunity—Close-Family Exception

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.211

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-23.211
- **Heading:** Decision to Request Immunity—Close-Family Exception
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-23.000 - Witness Immunity / Justice Manual § 9-23.211

## Text

When determining whether to request immunity for a witness, consideration should be given to whether the witness is a close family relative of the person against whom the testimony is sought. A close family relative is a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the witness. Absent specific justification, the Department will ordinarily avoid seeking to compel the testimony of a witness who is a close family relative of the defendant on trial or of the person upon whose conduct grand jury scrutiny is focusing. Such specific justification exists, among other circumstances, where (i) the witness and the relative participated in a common business enterprise and the testimony to be elicited relates to that enterprise or its activities; (ii) the testimony to be elicited relates to illegal conduct in which there is reason to believe that both the witness and the relative were active participants; or (iii) testimony to be elicited relates to a crime involving overriding prosecutorial concerns.

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-23.100 Witness Immunity—Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.110 Statutory Authority to Compel Testimony](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.130 Approval by Assistant Attorney General to Compel Testimony](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.130.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.140 Authority to Initiate Immunity Requests](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.140.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.210 Decision to Request Immunity—The Public Interest](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.210.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.211 Decision to Request Immunity—Close-Family Exception](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.211.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.212 Decision to Request Immunity—Conviction Prior to Compulsion](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.212.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.214 Granting Immunity to Compel Testimony on Behalf of a Defendant](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.214.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.250 Immunity for the Act of Producing Records](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.250.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-23.400 Authorization to Prosecute after Compulsion](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.400.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-23.211. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.