Criminal Procedure—Right to Counsel in Investigative Grand Jury Proceedings: Washington Criminal Investigatory Act of 1971—R.C.W. §§ 10.27.120-.140 (1971)

The Criminal Investigatory Act\u27s provision for counsel appears justified when one considers the witness\u27 delicate position and recent extensions of the right to counsel at other stages of the criminal process. Washington\u27s statute, however, is a significant departure from grand jury protections provided in other jurisdictions because it provides for the presence of counsel as a matter of right. This note examines the policy basis for Washington\u27s statute and the effect this additional protection for the witness may have on the investigative efficiency of the grand jury