Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Statutory Authorization

"The cornerstone of federal subject matter jurisdiction" (Alvarado v. Table Mountain Rancheria, 2007)

State courts are generally known as courts of ____ jurisdiction

general - Which are allowed to hear all types of cases, such as criminal, civil, family, and probate.

Diversity jurisdiction generally permits individuals to bring claims in federal court where the claim exceeds ____ and the parties are citizens of different states

$75,000

To ensure that diversity jurisdiction does not flood the federal courts with minor disputes, it is required that the matter in controversy in a diversity case exceed what specified amount?

$75,000

Which of the following is true of ancillary jurisdiction?

- Is the ability of the court to cross lines of jurisdiction for good reason - Is the ability of the court to give judgment on a larger issue where it has jurisdiction

If a ____ files an action in federal court under federal question jurisdiction (original jurisdiction) and ____ files counterclaims that arose out of the same set of circumstances but that are otherwise solely state law claims, the federal court can hear those counterclaims as part of the same case under ancillary jurisdiction.

- plaintiff - defendant

Pendent jurisdiction

A federal court's ability to hear state law claims that arise out of the same set of facts or circumstances as the federal claim at bar or at issue - It is the law's way of expediting cases and making certain that all of the issues that arise from one set of circumstances are fully and finally concluded in a single case

Sua sponte

A legal term defining the court's order to take action or make a decision that was not requested by the parties - The court must determine whether subject-matter jurisdiction exists before making any decision on the merits (Moir v. Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, 1990)

Plaintiff

A person, government, or organization that brings the suit to a court - Bears the burden of persuading the court that subject-matter jurisdiction exists in the case

Clark v. Barnard (1883)

Although the Supreme Court has placed limitations on a state's ability to claim sovereign immunity from suits by citizens going back to 1793, a state still has the power to assert or waive its immunity in federal court at its leisure

As outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 1332, diversity jurisdiction requires which of the following?

Amount in controversy

Federal courts have jurisdiction over which of the following?

Disputes between companies of different states

The situation or condition that is not part of the jurisdiction of federal courts?

Disputes between parties inside a state

Tribal immunity

Disqualifies subject-matter jurisdiction in an action against a Native American tribe for the same reason [English principle that a monarch can do not wrong] (Lewis v. Norton, 2005)

Congress has provided which of the following with subject-matter jurisdiction over all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States?

District courts

The two primary sources of the subject-matter jurisdiction of the federal courts are, therefore, ____

Diversity jurisdiction and federal question jurisdiction

Arford v. United States (1991)

Explains that, "to maintain an action against the United States, there must be both 'statutory authority granting subject matter jurisdiction' and 'a waiver of sovereign immunity'" (Alvarado v. Table Mountain Rancheria, 2007)

Which of the following cases state that the cornerstone of federal subject-matter jurisdiction is statutory authorization?

Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Allapattah Services

Subject-Matter Jurisdiction: Federal vs. State

Federal courts address subject matters involving federal issues and federal laws, whereas state courts address subject matters involving all other issues not specifically assigned to the federal government through the U.S. Constitution.

Alvarado v. Table Mountain Rancheria (2007)

For subject-matter jurisdiction to exist in an action against a sovereign, such as the United States, a waiver of sovereign immunity, in addition to a statutory authority vesting a district court with subject-matter jurisdiction, is needed

Which of the following cases states that "the existence of subject matter jurisdiction may be raised at any time, by any party, or even on their own by the court itself"?

In re Lewis

Courts require which of the following to resolve cases on the merits? This requires authority over the category of claim in suit so that the court's decision will bind them.

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction (meaning origin)

Made up of the Latin words juris and diction, meaning "law" and "to speak"

Existence of Subject-Matter Jurisdiction

May be raised at any time, by any party, or even sua sponte by the court itself" (In re Lewis, 2005) - A trial court has broad discretion in what to consider in deciding whether subject-matter jurisdiction exists in a particular case (Ogle v. Church of God, 2005).

Sovereign Immunity

Refers to the fact that the government cannot be sued without its consent - "a judicial doctrine that prevents the government or its political subdivisions, departments, and agencies from being sued without its consent. The doctrine stems from the ancient English principle that the monarch can do no wrong"

Original Jurisdiction

Refers to the right of a court to hear a case first

Which of the following types of jurisdiction defines the court's authority to hear a given type of case?

Subject matter

Ancillary jurisdiction

The court's ability to hear claims that it would otherwise not have jurisdiction over so that it can give judgment on a larger issue in another area where it has jurisdiction

In re Lewis (2005)

The existence of subject-matter jurisdiction may be raised at any time, by any party, or even on their own by the court itself.

Subject-Matter Jurisdiction

The extent to which a court can rule on the conduct of persons or the status of things - The legislative branch, specifically Congress, defines this jurisdiction of the federal courts

11th Amendment

The language of the Eleventh Amendment only eliminates the basis for& our judgment in the famous case of Chisholm v. Georgia ... (1793), which involved a suit against a State by a noncitizen of the State. Since Hans v. Louisiana ... (1890), however, we have understood the Eleventh Amendment to confirm the structural understanding that States entered the Union with their sovereign immunity intact, unlimited by Article III's jurisdictional grant. (Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy v. Stewart, 2011) - Passed by Congress in 1794, the year after the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793), and was adopted by the states the year after that, specifically to overrule the Supreme Court's decision

Defendant

The person accused of causing harm or committing a criminal offense

Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Allapattah Services Inc. (2005)

This case states that the cornerstone of federal subject-matter jurisdiction is statutory authorization.

United States v. Morton (1984)

This is a Supreme Court case where subject-matter jurisdiction defines the court's authority to hear a given type of case.

Federal Question Cases

To provide a federal forum for plaintiffs who seek to vindicate federal rights, Congress has conferred on the district courts original jurisdiction in civil actions that "arise under" the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States, as outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 1331. - Civil actions that arise under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States (Federal Question Jurisdictional Amendments Act, 1980).

Diversity Cases

To provide a neutral forum, Congress granted district courts original jurisdiction in civil actions between citizens of different states, between U.S. citizens and foreign citizens, or by foreign states against U.S. citizens, as outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 1332.

Which of the following gives Congress the exclusive power to determine a lower federal court's subject-matter jurisdiction?

U.S. CONST. art. III, § 1

Which of the following cases from the U.S. Supreme Court stated that "[s]ubject matter jurisdiction defines the court's authority to hear a given type of case"?

United States v. Morton

To provide a neutral forum for __________ cases, Congress granted district courts original jurisdiction in civil actions between citizens of different states, between U.S. citizens and foreign citizens, or by foreign states against U.S. citizens, as outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 1332.

diversity

The ____ branch of the federal government defines the subject-matter jurisdiction of the courts.

legislative

District courts of the United States are courts of ____ jurisdiction

limited - They are limited to hearing the type of cases authorized by federal legislative statute - Their jurisdiction is restricted only to cases involving the interest of the country as a whole, or federal law