In Santa Barbara on Monday, the county's new Civil Grand Jury was sworn in at the downtown courthouse.
The Grand Jury is made up of 19 citizen volunteers.
Typically, they each serve for a one-year period, but three jurors from the previous year are also held over for a second term to provide continuity.
"In order to join the Grand Jury, first you must be an American citizen and a resident of Santa Barbara County and have no preconceived or certain issues that you want to see resolved. You need to come in with an open mind, willing to learn, willing to research, willing to work with other people to get a report done."
The Grand Jury investigates potential issues with local government that are brought to them by members of the community.
