Frequently Asked Questions

• Chelsea hasn’t been accused of, let alone convicted of a crime, but she’s in jail anyway. Is this legal?

• Has Chelsea explained why she is resisting this grand jury subpoena?

• What's the difference between coercive and punitive incarceration?

• How does a judge determine whether a witness is incoercible?

• What factors are used by the judge to make an "individualized determination" regarding the intransigence of the witness?

• How has the modern grand jury system in the United States evolved since the drafting of the Constitution?

• Why does Chelsea object to grand juries being conducted in secret?

• How have grand juries and contempt sanctions been used or abused in the past?

• What is the role of the prosecutor in the grand jury?

• How do Grand Juries violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution?

• Do other countries use the grand jury process?

• Why was Chelsea in prison for seven years before Former President Obama commuted her sentence?