A bench or court, especially referring to a judicial bench or a group of judges hearing a case together; used in legal contexts.
From Old French banc, from Frankish bank (bench, seat). The word evolved from physical furniture to represent the judicial authority that sits on that bench, then entered English legal terminology.
When a legal case is heard 'in banc,' it means all judges are participating, not just a panel—the word preserves the image of judges sitting side-by-side on a literal bench in medieval courtrooms!
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