To remove someone from a bench, especially to remove a judge or official from their position of authority.
From 'dis-' (meaning to reverse or remove) combined with 'bench' (referring to the seat of judicial authority). Used in legal and institutional contexts since at least the 16th century.
This word is almost exclusively used in legal history—when a judge was 'disbenched,' it was a serious disgrace, officially removing them from the bench they sat on to hear cases.
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