King's Peace

In England, form of jurisdiction of the former King's Court. In medieval times criminal matters and offences against public order were within the jurisdiction of local lords and local courts, while the King's Court had jurisdiction over offences committed within the vicinity of the king himself. Such offences were said to have been committed contra pacem Domini, ‘against the peace of our Lord (the King)’. The King's Peace was fictitiously extended to the highways and ultimately to the whole realm, so that the King's Court finally acquired a comprehensive jurisdiction. The modern successor of the King's Court, which was held in the presence of the sovereign, is the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court.