21-421. State grand juries; impaneling; term

A. Upon written application by the attorney general there shall be a state grand jury with jurisdiction extending throughout the state impaneled each year by any superior court judge designated from time to time as a state grand jury assignment judge by the chief justice of the Arizona supreme court. Such assignment judge shall serve at the pleasure of the chief justice. A state grand jury shall be impaneled within the county in which the assignment judge is serving.

B. Whenever the attorney general determines it to be in the best interest to convene additional state grand juries, he may apply in writing to the chief justice of the Arizona supreme court for the designation of an additional assignment judge and the chief justice shall designate an additional assignment judge in accordance with the provisions of this article. Such assignment judge shall serve at the pleasure of the chief justice. Such assignment judge may, for good cause shown, impanel an additional state grand jury in accordance with the application, in which event such state grand jury shall have statewide jurisdiction. In making his determination as to the need for impaneling an additional state grand jury, the assignment judge may require a showing that the matter cannot be effectively handled by a county grand jury or an existing state grand jury. At no one time shall more than three state grand juries be impaneled.

C. The regular term of the state grand jury shall be six months. The term may be shortened by the assignment judge at the request of the attorney general. The term may be extended by the assignment judge for a specified time period upon a verified, written petition by the attorney general stating that an extension is needed to conclude a grand jury inquiry begun prior to the expiration of its term.