Legal Definitions - bancus

Bancus is a historical legal term originating from English law, derived from the Latin word for "bench." In this context, it refers generally to a court or tribunal.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of bancus:

• Imagine a scenario in medieval England where a group of royal judges traveled across the country to hear various legal disputes, such as land ownership claims or serious criminal accusations. When these judges convened in a specific location to preside over these cases and deliver judgments, their assembly constituted a bancus, acting as a judicial body.

  This example illustrates bancus as a general term for a court or tribunal where legal matters were formally heard and decided by appointed judges.

• During the Tudor period, the King's Bench was one of England's most important common law courts, handling significant criminal cases and civil disputes involving the Crown. This established, high-level court, with its permanent body of judges, was a prime example of a bancus, specifically referred to in Latin as bancus regis (the King's Bench).

  This demonstrates how bancus applied to a major, established royal court, highlighting its role as a central tribunal within the English legal system.

• Consider a situation in 17th-century England where Parliament appointed a special commission of judges to investigate and rule on allegations of sedition against certain political figures. This specially constituted judicial panel, tasked with hearing evidence and making legal determinations on specific offenses, would also be considered a form of bancus, functioning as a dedicated tribunal for that particular purpose.

  This example shows that bancus could also refer to a specially formed or temporary tribunal, not just a permanent court, established to address particular legal issues.