In any legal dispute, before a court can even begin to consider the facts of a case, it must first answer a fundamental question: do I have the power to hear this case? This concept of power is known as jurisdiction. It is the legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case and to issue a binding judgment upon the parties involved. Without jurisdiction, any decision a court makes is legally void. The principles of jurisdiction are essential for creating an orderly and fair legal system, ensuring that cases are heard in the appropriate forum.

There are two primary types of jurisdiction that a court must have to hear a case. The first is Subject-Matter Jurisdiction. This refers to the court’s authority to hear a particular type of case. Legal systems are often divided into specialized courts, and each court can only hear the cases that fall within its designated subject area. For example, a bankruptcy court only has jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. A family court has jurisdiction over divorce and child custody matters. A federal court might have jurisdiction over cases involving national laws, while a state or provincial court handles cases involving local laws. A court cannot overstep these boundaries; a family court has no power to hear a patent infringement case.