The judge's bench is the raised wooden desk or podium at the front of the courtroom where the judge sits. It's raised so that the judge can control and preside over the entire room. The judge's staff sits close by so they can communicate quietly.

Second, the term bench is a metonym used to describe members of the judiciary collectively, or the judges of a particular court, such as the King's Bench or the Common Bench in England and Wales, or the federal bench in the United States.

In many parts of the world, judges wear long robes (often in black or red) and sit on an elevated platform during trials (known as the bench).