legal jurisdiction
Where laws apply
Legal jurisdiction is the authority of a court or government body to make legal decisions over particular matters, people, or geographic areas.
A court may have jurisdiction over criminal cases but not civil ones, or over disputes arising within state lines.
The case was dismissed because the court lacked jurisdiction.
Lawyers often argue about which jurisdiction properly handles a case, especially when parties or events cross borders.
- trial courtFirst-level judicial forum
- court of appealsTribunal reviewing lower rulings
- dual sovereigntyTwo authorities over one territory
- judgeOne who decides
- benchShared seating surface
territory · plaintiff · appellate court · defendant · extradition · border · cross border · venue · home court advantage · domicile · subpoena power · state · circuit court · tribunal · criminal law · comity · region · federal court
- family lawchild custody, child support, alimony, family court, divorce petitions
- jurisdictionconcurrent, appellate, removal, remand
- courtsfamily court, civil court, district court, criminal court, circuit court
- divorcedivorce court, divorce decree, divorce papers, divorce filing, divorce lawyer
- Court Procedureadjournment, civil procedure, trial procedure, trial process, criminal procedure
- government administrationpublic administration, government agencies, ministries, civil servants, public officials
legal jurisdictionlawlessness
Absence of governing rules
no man's land · legal vacuum · anarchy · statelessness · failed state
legal jurisdictionanarchy
Disorder from absent authority
chaos · failed state · power vacuum · Wild West · state of nature
legal jurisdictionvigilante justice
Unauthorized punishment by civilians
gang territory · tribal law · kangaroo court · lynch mob · black market