In a legal document, the “governing law” of the document refers to the laws that control what the parties are trying to do with the legal document. Typically, these are the laws of the jurisdiction where the property is located or the actions of the parties will take place.
For example, if you live in Texas, but are leasing a property in California, the governing law of your Residential Lease would be that of the state of California.
In some circumstances, it may be necessary to choose between several jurisdictions. In states or provinces where legislation is similar, the jurisdiction may not make a difference, but in some circumstances, there may be advantages to choosing one jurisdiction over another.
If you aren’t sure of how the law can best be applied in your circumstance or need specific advice, then you should contact a local lawyer.