Judge Boasberg Orders Notification for Grand Jury Decisions

Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has mandated that court proceedings must notify when a grand jury chooses not to indict, at least for the time being. This directive came earlier this month after the Trump administration’s unsuccessful attempt to charge six Democratic congressmen, dubbed the “sedition six,” for urging military personnel to defy unlawful orders.

Boasberg noted in his order on March 4, “This court reviewed current practices regarding notification and return of indictments in cases when grand juries decline to indict.” He emphasized the need for consistency and transparency, stating that notice should be submitted to the duty judge whenever there is a disagreement with a grand jury’s decision on an indictment, no matter if the defendant has already been indicted.

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This latest instruction includes specific guidelines. For instance, if a grand jury decides to not indict, the foreman must report any discrepancies to the magistrate judge in writing and under seal. Notices stemming from this order will remain confidential at the Clerk’s Office unless the court states otherwise, and this directive will be in place for 120 days while local rules are considered.

Last November, the Justice Department was examining the possibility of indicting six Democrats, including Rep. Jason Crow from Colorado and others for their public calls on military members to reject illegal orders. Army Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed concerns that such actions encouraged breaches of the military chain of command.

President Trump condemned this political maneuver as a “seditious act,” insisting that the individuals involved should be arrested and face severe penalties. Legal commentators, like Alan Dershowitz, mentioned that D.C. Attorney Jeanine Pirro aimed to get an indictment from a federal grand jury in a district known for its left-leaning attitude, which may not favor the current Republican administration.

Pirro has previously criticized Trump for being “too slow” in policy actions while also challenging Boasberg’s recent decisions, including blocking a subpoena directed at the Federal Reserve over significant cost overruns related to a new building project.

During a press conference, she labeled Boasberg as an “activist judge” yet maintained that she was fulfilling her duties despite the setbacks she faced with the grand jury indictment.

In the background, Congressman Brandon Gill from Texas has introduced a resolution focusing on Boasberg’s actions, which allegedly involved an “abuse of power” during the Trump administration among other matters. Previously, an attempt to defund Boasberg gained no traction.