What is the difference between a grand jury and a petit jury?

A grand jury is a body of people, usually numbering 16 to 23, who are selected to sit permanently, for at least one month and sometimes one year, to hear a criminal case and decide if it should proceed to trial. A grand jury decides whether there is strong enough evidence to hand down an indictment charging a suspect for a specific crime.

A petit jury, on the other hand, is body of people that usually consists of six to 12 individuals who are called and empaneled in the trial of a specific case, which can be either criminal or civil. A petit jury is also called a “trial jury.”