Jurisdiction Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Jurisdiction, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Jurisdiction?

1\. Powers and right of the court or judge to take up a trial and give decision on the same. 2. It also refers to the geographic area within which a court has the power to render the decision and also try the case. It is important to make sure that the court in which the case is filed, falls under the jurisdiction of such a case. For instance, lower courts does not have power to take up civil cases above certain sum of money being involved.

History and Meaning of Jurisdiction

The term "jurisdiction" comes from the Latin word "jurisdictio", meaning "the power to speak the law". It is used to refer to the legal authority or power of a court or judge to hear and decide a particular case. Jurisdiction can be divided into two types: territorial and subject matter. Territorial jurisdiction refers to the geographic area over which a court has authority, while subject matter jurisdiction refers to the types of cases that a court is authorized to hear.

Examples of Jurisdiction

  1. A federal court has jurisdiction over cases that involve a federal law or the U.S. Constitution.
  2. A state court has jurisdiction over cases that involve state law or the state constitution.
  3. A probate court has jurisdiction over cases that involve wills, estates, and trusts.
  4. A bankruptcy court has jurisdiction over cases that involve bankruptcy proceedings.
  5. A family court has jurisdiction over cases that involve family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and child support.

Legal Terms Similar to Jurisdiction

  1. Venue - refers to the geographic location where a case is heard, but does not relate to the court's authority to hear the case.
  2. Personal jurisdiction - refers to the court's authority over the parties involved in a case, based on their contacts with the jurisdiction.
  3. Subject matter jurisdiction - refers to the types of cases that a court is authorized to hear, based on the subject matter of the case.