Pannel meaning

In Scots criminal practice, “pannel” (now commonly “panel”) means the accused person in a solemn procedure case—that is, a prosecution on indictment tried with a jury in the High Court of Justiciary or the sheriff court. The term signals that solemn‑procedure rules apply, including service of an indictment, a preliminary hearing, empanelling of a 15‑member jury, trial and verdict, and the enhanced sentencing jurisdiction of those courts. The term is not defined in statute; modern legislation such as the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 generally uses “the accused”. However, “pannel/panel” is still encountered in indictments, case law and court usage. Usage is jurisdiction‑specific. Outside Scotland the party is called the “defendant” (England & Wales and Northern Ireland, including Crown Court trials on indictment) or “the accused”/“defendant” in Ireland. Do not confuse “pannel/panel” (the accused) with the “jury panel” (the pool of jurors). Older authorities prefer the spelling “pannel”; contemporary drafting tends to use “panel”. Both describe the same status: the person against whom the indictment is brought under Scots solemn criminal procedure.