WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2023 — The American Bar Association condemns the unauthorized disclosure of the private and personal data of the grand jurors in the Fulton County, Georgia, case against Donald Trump.
Georgia state law, with the goal of transparency, requires the names of grand jurors to be listed in an indictment, even in high-profile cases. While the public release of the information is not illegal in Georgia, it is against the law to harass, stalk and threaten.
The American jury has played a crucial part in our democracy for more than 200 years and juror participation in the process is essential to the successful functioning of our judicial system. The civic-minded members of the Georgia grand jury performed their duty to support our democracy. It is unconscionable that their lives should be upended and safety threatened for being good citizens.
The ABA calls on all political and governmental leaders to denounce this activity and for law enforcement to investigate fully any threats to the innocent people involved.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.