The Sacramento County Grand Jury is a panel of 19 residents who spend a one-year term investigating how local government in Sacramento County spends public money and delivers services. It operates as an independent civil watchdog over county departments, cities, school districts, and special districts, and it can also return criminal indictments when the District Attorney presents a case. Anyone can ask it to look into a local government problem, and Sacramento County residents can apply to serve.
What the Grand Jury Does
California law charges every county grand jury with investigating “county matters of civil concern.”1California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 888 – Definition of Grand Jury In Sacramento County, that means the panel examines county department budgets, city services, school board decisions, and how special districts operate. Jurors interview officials, tour facilities, and review financial records.
Two inquiries are mandatory rather than optional. Jurors must investigate the condition and management of public prisons within the county, including jails and detention facilities, and they must look into any willful or corrupt misconduct by public officers.2California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 919 – Grand Jury Duties
The grand jury can also hear evidence from the District Attorney and decide whether to indict someone for a felony. When it does, the case skips a preliminary hearing and moves directly to Superior Court. Criminal indictments make up a small fraction of the panel’s work in Sacramento County; civil investigations are where jurors spend nearly all their time.
Each year’s grand jury publishes a Final Report with its findings and recommendations. Under Penal Code Section 933, elected county officers or agency heads named in a report must respond in writing to the presiding judge within 60 days, and governing bodies of public agencies within 90 days.3California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 933 For every finding, the agency must either agree or explain what portion it disputes and why. For every recommendation, it must state whether the recommendation has been implemented, will be implemented on a stated timeline, needs further analysis (with a study plan due within six months), or will not be implemented and why. Responses are filed with the county clerk and kept on file for at least five years.
What It Can and Cannot Investigate
The grand jury’s authority stops at the county line, and it stops at local government. It has no power to investigate federal or state agencies.4Superior Court of California, County of Inyo. Civil Grand Jury A complaint about the Social Security Administration, the DMV, or any other federal or state office is outside its reach. The problem has to sit inside Sacramento County’s local government structure: county departments, city agencies, school districts, redevelopment agencies, or special districts created under state law.
Filing a Complaint
Anyone can ask the Sacramento County Grand Jury to investigate. You don’t need to live in the county or have a personal stake in the issue. The complaint form is on the grand jury’s website at sacgrandjury.org.5Sacramento County Grand Jury. Concerns in Your Community
A useful complaint identifies the specific agency or official involved, describes the problem clearly, and includes dates, witness names, and any documents you have. Mention what you already tried with the agency directly, so jurors can see where the process broke down. The completed form can be mailed to the Grand Jury Coordinator at 500 G Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, or submitted through the online portal.6Sacramento County Grand Jury. Citizen Complaint Form
What Happens After You File
The grand jury usually sends an acknowledgment letter confirming it received your complaint. That letter is not a promise of an investigation. Jurors meet privately to decide whether the issue falls within their jurisdiction and whether it merits review.
Everything inside a grand jury proceeding is confidential. A juror who discloses evidence, deliberations, or voting information commits a misdemeanor, and the obligation continues after the term ends.7California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 924.1 – Willful Disclosure of Grand Jury Proceedings That secrecy protects witnesses who cooperate and keeps investigations intact, but it also means you won’t get status updates while the panel is working. If the investigation results in a published report, you may be notified. Jurors can ask the court to issue subpoenas to compel testimony, and the District Attorney can also issue subpoenas for witnesses whose testimony is material to a grand jury investigation.8California Department of Justice. Opinion No. 23-401
Applying to Serve
Recruitment opens in early spring. Applications go through the grand jury’s own website at sacgrandjury.org rather than the Superior Court site.9Sacramento County Grand Jury. Apply After the application window closes, the court screens candidates and interviews them with Superior Court judges. The final selection is a random drawing held in a public courtroom that picks 19 primary jurors and 11 alternates. The term runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.10Sacramento Superior Court. Recruitment Under Way for 2026-27 Sacramento County Grand Jury
To be eligible under California Penal Code Section 893, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a California resident who has lived in Sacramento County for at least one year immediately before selection, and able to understand English well enough to participate. The statute also requires ordinary intelligence, sound judgment, and fair character.
Several groups are automatically disqualified:11California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 893 – Qualifications of Grand Jurors
- Anyone currently holding elected public office.
- Anyone convicted of a felony or of misconduct in public office.
- Anyone discharged from a grand jury in any California court within the past year.
Time Commitment, Pay, and Job Protection
Grand jury service is closer to volunteer work than a paying job. The per diem is $15 per day, with mileage reimbursed at $0.34 per mile.12Sacramento Superior Court. Employer Information for Jury Service Plan on at least several days a month during routine periods, and three or more days a week when a major investigation is underway. The commitment runs the full year.
Your job is protected while you serve. Under California Labor Code Section 230, an employer cannot fire, demote, suspend, or otherwise retaliate against an employee for taking time off for jury service, provided the employee gives reasonable notice.13California Legislative Information. California Labor Code 230 An employee subjected to retaliation is entitled to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages and benefits, and can file a complaint with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. California does not, however, require private employers to pay your regular salary during jury service. Whether you get paid leave is up to your employer.14U.S. Department of Labor. Jury Duty The per diem and any mileage reimbursement count as taxable income.