Applicants Sought for Grand Jury

Nominations for the 1996-97 Ventura County Grand Jury are being sought, and the deadline for applications is April 5.

Six candidates from each of the five supervisorial districts will be selected for the final pool, from which 19 members will be drawn by lottery July 1. The remaining 11 candidates will be used as alternates.

To be considered for the grand jury, an applicant must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old or older and a Ventura County resident for at least one year and “in full possession of your natural faculties, of ordinary intelligence, of sound judgment and of good character,” according to Sheila Gonzalez, the court’s executive officer.

Also, the candidate can never have been convicted of a felony or malfeasance in office.

Functions of the grand jury include: investigating the management of various departments and districts of county and city governments, reviewing fiscal or management audits, and considering indictments on criminal offenses brought by the district attorney.

Applications can be obtained by calling Jury Services at 654-5025.