Several Lehigh County residents, meeting at Emmaus Public Library, voted Jan. 28 to re-establish the common law grand jury system in the county. The meeting was attended by approximately 10 individuals.

After the discussion, attendeed were invited to sign-up as jurors.

Organizer Rich Jones said common law was established by the framers of the United States government. Through time, common law has been replaced by statutes, codes, policies and regulations, he said.

"The first sentence of the Constitution tells us only the Legislative branch can make law," Jones said. "We now have administrative agencies, found nowhere in the Constitution, making private law."

Jones said reverting back to the common law would provide a sense of fairness and justice.

"Common law will educate the people and, in effect, give us a more honest and accountable government," Jones said.

According to Jones, re-establishing common law is picking up momentum within the state and nation.

National Liberty Alliance has been sponsoring meetings across the state recently to garner support for the common law grand jury system. Organizers have been seeking to develop a grand jury not presided over by judges or convened by a county or state

Although a vote was taken by residents to re-establish the common law grand jury system, such a vote holds no legal signficance. Recently, some residents in Dauphin County held a similar vote to re-establish common law.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, who recently has convened several investigating grand juries, was asked by The Press to comment on the effort to re-establish the common law grand jury system.

He stated via email Pennsylvania operates under the Investigating Grand Jury Act, Act of 1980, Oct. 5, P.L. 693, No. 142, Section 216 (a)(2); 42 Pa. C.S.A. Section 4541, et seq.

"In my opinion, a 'citizen grand jury' would have no legal power and no legal effect. Only the district attorney or the president judge of the Court of Common Pleas may summon an investigating grand jury.

"We have had an investigating grand jury in Lehigh County since 2001 and are currently in our seventh panel.

"In 2012, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court re-authorized the use of indicting grand juries. Only the district attorney can use the grand jury for this purpose."