King's Bench

In modern times, and up to the passing of the judicature act, 36 & 37 Vict, c. 66, the highest court of common law in England, consisting of a chief justice and four puisne justicesj who were by their office the sovereign conservators of the peace, cognizance of criminal cases on the crown side and of civil cases on the plea side. Anciently its civil jurisdiction waa confined to cases of trespass vi et armis, but by fictious of the Bill of Middlesex and Latitat it usurped jurisdiction of all personal actions. It is now a part of the Supreme Court of Judicature. Kind's Bcucli Divisioii: that branch of the Supi'eme Court of Judicature whicli has the jurisdiction formerly had by the court of King's Bench. King's council: one of the two royal courts of the Norman period consisting of a body of great men attendant on the king, at first called the King's Court. King's counsel: v. Queen's counsel. King's Court: a court or assembly of the Anglo-Norman period in England, corresponding to the Witenagemote of the Anglo-Saxon period which preceded; one of the two royal courts of the Norman period, a court consisting of a body of great men attendant on the king, the original of the privy council; a smaller court created in the twelfth century, the original of the King's Bench. King's silver: money formerly paid in in the Common Pleas pro licentia concordandi in levying a fine.