Definition

1. Verb:
   • To select from a list: To choose or select individuals, especially jurors, from a larger list or pool.
   • To enter into a list of prospective jurors: To formally enroll or register someone's name onto an official list of potential jurors for a trial.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The court clerk will empanel the jury for the high-profile case next week. (The court clerk will select the jury members from the list.)
  • After questioning, the judge decided to empanel twelve citizens to serve. (After questioning, the judge decided to enter twelve citizens onto the jury list.)
  • Her name was empaneled for possible jury duty in the county court. (Her name was added to the list of potential jurors.)

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: The term is almost exclusively used in legal and judicial contexts concerning the formation of a jury. It describes the formal administrative act of creating the jury panel.
  • The process to empanel an impartial jury can take several days.
• Passive Voice: Often used in the passive voice ("be empaneled") to describe the status of potential jurors.
  • He was empaneled but ultimately not selected to serve on the final jury.

Variants and Related Words

• Impanel: An alternative spelling of "empanel." Both forms are correct and used interchangeably.
  • The judge will impanel the jury tomorrow.
• Empanelment / Impanelment (Noun): The act or process of empaneling.
  • The empanelment of the grand jury was completed swiftly.

Synonyms

• Enroll: To officially register or enter on a list.
• Select: To choose carefully from a group.
• List: To enter in a list (though less formal and specific than "empanel").

Related Phrases and Usage Notes

• To empanel a jury: The most common collocation, meaning to select and swear in a jury.
  • The primary task of the first day of trial is to empanel a jury.
• The empaneled jurors: Refers to the group of people who have been formally selected and listed as the jury for a trial.
  • The empaneled jurors were sequestered for the duration of the trial.

Verb

1. select from a list
   • empanel prospective jurors
2. enter into a list of prospective jurors