Legal Definitions - sedes

SEDES

sedes (see-deez), n. [Latin “a seat”]

1. In Roman law, a private residence.
2. In Roman law, judicial office; the bench.
3. In history, a see; a bishop's dignity.

1. The wealthy merchant's sedes was a grand villa overlooking the sea.

2. The judge took his place on the sedes and began the trial.

3. The bishop's sedes was located in the grand cathedral in the center of the city.

The first example illustrates the use of sedes as a private residence in Roman law. The second example shows how sedes was used to refer to the bench or judicial office in Roman law. The third example demonstrates how sedes was used historically to refer to a bishop's dignity or see.