Jurisdiction is set in law, constitutions, or case law. Some courts have overlapping jurisdiction, giving a person a choice of where to file an action. Exclusive jurisdiction means that only a particular court has authority to decide a case. An example of a court having exclusive subject matter jurisdiction is bankruptcy court. Only in a federal bankruptcy court can a person file a bankruptcy action.
State courts have no jurisdiction in bankruptcy cases.
General jurisdiction means that a court has the ability to hear and decide a wide range of cases. Unless a law or constitutional provision denies them jurisdiction, courts of general jurisdiction have authority to handle any kind of case. The California superior courts are general jurisdiction courts. Limited jurisdiction means that a court has restrictions on the types of cases it decides. Venue Venue frequently is confused with jurisdiction.