Use Immunity

Use immunity is a type of immunity that protects a witness from having their testimony or evidence derived from their testimony used against them in a criminal proceeding. Use immunity is granted to individuals who testify in a grand jury proceeding under federal law and the law of most states.

Use immunity is more common and narrower than transactional immunity. Transactional immunity protects the witness from prosecution for the offense or offenses involved.

Use immunity does not prevent the government from using other evidence obtained from independent sources. If the prosecutor acquires evidence substantiating the crime independently of the witness's testimony, the witness may then be prosecuted.

For example, if a witness is granted use immunity, they can testify about a crime they witnessed without fear of being prosecuted for their own involvement in the crime.