Legal Definitions - jurisdictional fact

Jurisdictional Fact

A jurisdictional fact is a specific condition or piece of information that must be true for a court, tribunal, or administrative body to have the legal authority (known as jurisdiction) to hear a case, make a ruling, or take any action. If this essential fact is not present or cannot be proven, the body lacks the power to proceed, and any decision it makes might be considered invalid.

Here are some examples:

• Example 1: Geographic Location of a Crime

  Imagine a person is accused of committing a robbery in Los Angeles, California. The local Superior Court of Los Angeles County would typically have the authority to hear this criminal case.

  How it illustrates the term: The jurisdictional fact here is that the alleged crime occurred within the geographical boundaries of Los Angeles County. If it were discovered that the robbery actually took place in San Francisco, the Los Angeles court would lack jurisdiction, and the case would need to be brought in the appropriate court in San Francisco.

• Example 2: Monetary Limit for Small Claims Court

  Many legal systems have "small claims courts" designed to handle disputes involving relatively small amounts of money without complex legal procedures. Let's say a particular small claims court only has the power to hear cases where the amount of money in dispute is $10,000 or less.

  How it illustrates the term: For this small claims court to have jurisdiction, the jurisdictional fact is that the plaintiff is seeking damages of $10,000 or less. If a plaintiff attempts to sue for $15,000, the small claims court would not have the authority to hear that case, and it would need to be filed in a higher court with broader monetary jurisdiction.

• Example 3: Residency Requirement for Divorce

  In many jurisdictions, a court can only grant a divorce if at least one of the spouses has resided in that state or county for a specified period (e.g., six months or a year) before filing the petition.

  How it illustrates the term: The jurisdictional fact in this scenario is the fulfillment of the residency requirement. If a couple who just moved to a new state tries to file for divorce there immediately, the court might determine it lacks jurisdiction because the residency fact has not been established, preventing it from legally dissolving the marriage.