PANEL. This term in English law denotes a small schedule of paper or parchment containing the names of the jurors returned by the sheriff for the trial of issues in courts of common law. The en rolment of the names upon this schedule is the array. The etymo logy of the term is doubtful ; Sir Edward Coke says, " Panel is au English word, and signified' a little part, for a pane is a part, and a panel is a little hurt' (Co. Litt., 158 b). Spelinan derives the word from peaella, a little page, eupposing the g to be changed to a. (Spel man's Gloss.; tit. " Pendia "). Both these etymologies stem to be incorrect. In the old book called Les Termes de la Ley,' panel is said to come from the French word panne, a skin ; whence in barbarous Latin might come pendia.. or panell«, signifyiug a little skin of parch ment. This would denote the jury panel pretty accurately, and dm history of its appearance as an expression in English procedure is con sistent with its derivation from the French.
In the earliest records of the forms of jury-process, as given by Glanville, it appears that the sheriff was commanded by the writs in certain real actions to cause to be imbreviated (imbreviari facere) the names of the jurors by whom the land in question was viewed. But
at this time the word panel never occurs, nor is it used by Bracton, Fleta, or Britton, nor in any statute earlier than 20 Edw. III., c. 6 (1319), which forbids sheriffs from putting suspected persona in arrays of panels. This was precisely the period at which the French language began to be fully introduced into our law proceedings. (Luder's ' Tract ou the Use of the French Languge in our Ancient Laws.') lu Scotch criminal law, the accused, who is called a defender till his appearance to answer a charge, is afterwards styled the punnet. The etymology of this word also is doubtful. (Jauneson'a Dictionary,' ad verb ) But it is possible that it may have the same origin as our English word, as in Scotch proceedings a prisoner is sometimes said to be entered in panned to stand trial. (Aniot's 4 Criminal Trials,' p. 12.)