Legal Definitions - choice of jurisdiction

Definition: Choice of jurisdiction refers to the decision of which state or country should have the authority to handle a legal case. This is also known as conflict of laws.

Examples:

• A person living in New York wants to sue a company based in California. They must decide whether to file the lawsuit in New York or California.
• An international business contract may include a clause stating which country's laws will govern any disputes that arise.

These examples illustrate how choice of jurisdiction can impact legal cases. In the first example, the person must decide which state's laws will apply to their case and where they will have the best chance of winning. In the second example, the parties involved have already agreed on which country's laws will apply in case of a dispute.