Why is the Judge in a Court Referred to as The Bench?

The term "the bench" is used to refer to the judge or judges who preside over a court. The origin of this term comes from the design of traditional courtrooms, where judges would sit on a raised platform or bench at the front of the courtroom. This design was intended to symbolize the judge's authority and to make it clear to everyone present who was in charge.

Over time, the term "the bench" has come to refer not just to the physical platform on which the judge sits, but also to the judge themselves and to the institution of the judiciary as a whole. This term is commonly used in legal circles and is often used in reference to judges in both civil and criminal cases.

In some countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the term "the bench" is also used to refer to the collective body of judges who preside over a particular court. For example, the phrase "the bench of the Supreme Court" refers to the group of judges who sit on that court, rather than to a physical bench or platform.

Overall, the term "the bench" has come to be closely associated with the authority and power of the judiciary and the important role that judges play in the legal system.