jurisdiction noun
the power of a court, authority or other official body to decide a legal case or to make an order. This is also referred to as competent jurisdiction, as in the court of competent jurisdiction.
the extent of this power
the territory in which this power exists
the area in which a particular legal system operates
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jurisdiction consideration principalPhrase Bank
The court dismissed the action for lack of jurisdiction
Diplomats are exempt from the jurisdiction of the receiving state
The civil court found that it had no jurisdiction over the matter
A party doing business in another state is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of that state
The territory is within the country's jurisdiction
The Special Peacekeeping Forces are under the jurisdiction of the United Nations
The District Court has original jurisdiction while the Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction.
Additional Notes
exclusive jurisdiction: where one court has the power to decide a case to the exclusion of all other courts. It is the opposite situation from concurrent jurisdiction, in which more than one court may take jurisdiction over the case
original jurisdiction: the right of a court to hear the case for the first time, as opposed to the jurisdiction to hear the case on appeal, which is known as appellate jurisdiction
extradition: the process by which a suspected criminal who has fled to another jurisdiction is returned to the jurisdiction where the crime occurred
Common Mistakes
Do not confuse jurisdiction with jurisprudence.