For the source text click/tap here: Sanhedrin 31
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The Gemara on our daf deals with a situation where one litigant says, “I would like the case to be heard here” and the other one wants the case to be taken to the makom ha-va’ad – the place of the Assembly.
The concept of a makom ha-va’ad is explained by the Meiri as referring to any place where there are judges sitting in courts that were established by the community, and did not establish themselves as judges on their own. Such courts had more power to enforce their rulings.