The kendan is the term to mean to rule and to hold a trial, and addressing domestic policies, diplomacies, and governing territories and rural communities were closely connected to holding a trial because security, government, and criminal justice, even the military, were not separated in medieval Japan (according to "Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam:" Japanese-Portuguese dictionary, published 1603 - 1604), kendan was described as a post to rule and hold a trial).
検断とは、統治すること・裁判することを意味する用語であり、中世日本では治安行政と刑事司法、さらに軍事までもが未分化だったため、領地・村落内の内政、外交を行い、統治することが裁判を行うことと密接につながっていた（日葡辞書によると、検断は統治・裁判を行う役職、とある）。