From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
judicature
n 1: an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct
judicial business [syn: court, tribunal]
2: the system of law courts that administer justice and
constitute the judicial branch of government [syn:
judiciary, judicatory, judicial system]
3: the administration of law; the act of determining rights and
assigning rewards or punishments; "justice deferred is
justice denied" [syn: justice]
4: the position of judge [syn: judgship, judgeship]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Judicature \Ju"di*ca*ture\ (?; 135), n. [F., fr. LL.
judicatura.]
[1913 Webster]
1. The state or profession of those employed in the
administration of justice; also, the dispensing or
administration of justice.
[1913 Webster]
The honor of the judges in their judicature is the
king's honor. --Bacon.
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2. A court of justice; a judicatory. --South.
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3. The right of judicial action; jurisdiction; extent
jurisdiction of a judge or court.
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Our Savior disputes not here the judicature, for
that was not his office, but the morality, of
divorce. --Milton.
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