State governments, as distinguished from the federal government, need not use grand juries in criminal prosecutions. Decided March 3, 1884 (argued 1884). Opinion of the Court: Stanley Matthews → go there Dissenting: Harlan. Applied: the Fifth Amendment → go there Applied: the Fourteenth Amendment → go there Topic: Other areas. Hurtado v. California, 110 U.S. 516 (1884), was a landmark case decided by the United States Supreme Court that allowed state governments, as distinguished from the federal government, to avoid using grand juries in criminal prosecutions. Wiki link