Jurisdiction in Law

Types of Jurisdiction

Original Jurisdiction

• The power of a court to hear a case for the first time
• Trial courts have original jurisdiction in the United States
• The U.S. Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction in certain cases, such as suits between states over territorial or water rights disputes

Appellate Jurisdiction

• The power of a higher court to review a lower court's decision
• The U.S. Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over lower courts in the United States
• In India, the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction can be invoked by a certificate granted by the High Court in cases involving substantial questions of law as to the interpretation of the Indian Constitution

Concurrent Jurisdiction

• Multiple courts share the power to hear a case
• Example: in Georgia, a civil dispute over $200 can be heard in either a Georgia District Court or a Georgia County Court
• Allows parties to choose the court in which they want to file their case
• However, forum shopping (bringing a case to a court that is presumed to rule in one's favor) is not always allowed

Federal Jurisdiction

• The power of federal courts to hear certain types of cases
• Federal courts in the United States have exclusive jurisdiction over federal matters (cases based on federal statutes or the federal Constitution)
• State courts have nonexclusive jurisdiction and can hear both state and federal matters
• Federal criminal prosecutions always take place in federal courts, while state criminal prosecutions take place in state courts