jurisdiction
/ˌdʒʊərɪsˈdɪkʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1The official power to make legal decisions and judgements: the English court had no jurisdiction over the defendants...
- And nor should it exclude the jurisdiction of any other state that gives its courts universal jurisdiction over international crimes.
- Turkey officials waved jurisdiction of the case because it did not involve any Turkish nationals, Edmonson said.
- As mayor of Los Angeles, Riordan had no official role or any jurisdiction over city schools.
Synonyms
authority, control, power, dominion, rule, administration, command, sway, leadership, sovereignty, ascendancy, hegemony, mastery;
say, influence
1.1 [count noun] A system of law courts; a judicature: in some jurisdictions there is a mandatory death sentence for murder...
- The provision limiting comment accords with the present law in those jurisdictions where judicial comment may be made.
- The judicial system resembles that of other common law jurisdictions.
- As a result the common law courts still remain more distant from the merits than the administrative law courts of continental jurisdictions.
1.2 [count noun] The territory or sphere of activity over which the legal authority of a court or other institution extends: several different tax jurisdictions...
- In other words, can they engage in legal economic activity in a jurisdiction where prostitution is legal?
- While referring to the laws of other jurisdictions, US courts have given them short shrift.
- There is no legislation of South Australia which says that courts of other jurisdictions may not sit in South Australia.
Synonyms
territory, region, province, district, area, zone;
domain, realm, orbit, sphere
historical soke, leet
Origin
Middle English: from Old French jurediction, from Latin jurisdictio(n-), from jus, jur- 'law' + dictio 'saying' (from dicere 'say').