Opinion ID: 398779
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 4 Jurisdiction is, of necessity, the first issue for an Article III court. The federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction, and they lack the power to presume the existence of jurisdiction in order to dispose of a case on any other grounds. See, e.g., B ors v. Preston, 111 U.S. 252, 4 S.Ct. 407, 28 L.Ed. 419 (1884); Turner v. President, Directors & Co. of the Bank of North America, 4 U.S. (4 Dall.) 8, 11, 1 L.Ed. 718 (1799). 2 5 In the instant case, we find that the District Court properly had jurisdiction to consider Tuck's claims. Counts II and III of the complaint allege violations of Tuck's and his client's constitutional liberties, thus furnishing the court with federal question jurisdiction. 28 U.S.C.A. § 1331 (Supp. 1981). 3 Furthermore, although Count I states a common law claim, it too was properly before the District Court through the application of pendent jurisdiction. See United Mine Workers v. Gibbs, 383 U.S. 715, 86 S.Ct. 1130, 16 L.Ed.2d 218 (1966).