Jurisdiction | The Law Offices of O. Yale Lewis III

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction means the authority of the court to hear and rule on cases. A court of general jurisdiction has authority to hear and dispose of virtually any case or controversy that arises within its territorial boundaries. An example of a court of general jurisdiction is a state trial court. In Washington, we call such a court a superior court.

A court of limited jurisdiction, on the other hand only has authority to hear and dispose of certain types of cases and controversies. For example, a federal district court has jurisdiction over all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States. This is called federal question jurisdiction. It also has jurisdiction over civil actions between citizens of different states. This is called diversity jurisdiction.

The Law Offices of O. Yale Lewis III has expertise in jurisdiction. Should the dispute be litigated in state court, federal court, or tribal court. Should it be litigated in this country or a foreign country. Washington state or some other state. We have litigated many many cases involving jurisdiction over the past twenty years.

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