KING'S BENCH. The name of the supreme¹ court of law in England. It is so called because formerly² the king used to sit there in person, the style of the court being still coram ipso rege, before the king himself. During the reign³ of a queen, it is called the Queen's Bench, and during the protectorate of Cromwell, it was called the Upper Bench. It consists of a chief justices and three other judges, who are, by their office, the principal coroners and conservators of the peace. 3 Bl. Com. 41.

2. This court has jurisdiction⁴ in criminal matters, in civil causes, and is a supervisory tribunal to keep other jurisdictions⁵ within their proper bounds.

3. - 1. Its criminal jurisdiction extends over all offenders⁶, and not only over an capital offences but also over another misdemeanors of a public nature; it being considered the custos morum of the realm. Its jurisdiction is so universal that an act of parliament appointing that all crimes of a certain denomination⁷ shall be tried before certain judges, does not exclude the jurisdiction of this court, without negative words. It may also proceed on indictments⁸ removed into that court out of the inferior courts by certiorari.

4. - 2. Its civil jurisdiction is against the officers or ministers of the court entitled to its privilege. 2 Inst. 23; 4 Inst. 71; 2 Bulstr. 123. And against prisoners for trespasses⁹. In these last cases a declaration may be filed against them in debt, covenant¹⁰ or account: and this is done also upon the notion of a privilege, because the common pleas could not obtain or procure¹¹ the prisoners of the king's bench to appear in their court.

5. - 3. Its supervisory powers extend, 1. To issuing writs¹² of error to inferior jurisdictions, and affirming or reversing their judgments¹³. 2. To issuing writs of mandamus to compel inferior officers and courts to perform the duties required of them by law. Bac. Ab. Court of King's Bench.

KINGDOM. A country where an officer called a king exercises the powers of government, whether the same be absolute or limited. Wolff, Inst. Nat. 994. In some kingdoms the executive officer may be a woman, who is called a queen.

KINTLIDGE, merc. law. This term is used by merchants and seafaring men to signify a ship's ballast. Mere¹⁴. Dict.

KIRBY'S QUEST. An ancient record remaining with the remembrancer of the English Exchequer¹⁵, so called from being the inquest of John De Kirby, treasurer¹⁶ to Edward I.

KISSING. Kissing the bible is a ceremony used in taking the corporal oath, the object being, as the canonists say, to denote the assent¹⁷ of the witness to the oath in the form it is imposed. The witness kisses either the whole bible, or some portion of it; or a cross in some countries. See the cerermony explained in Oughton's Ord. Tit. Consitt. on Courts, part 3, sect¹⁸. 1, 3 Junkin on the Oath, 173, 180; 2 Evan's Pothier, 234.