Legal Definitions - jurisdictional fact

Definition: A fact that must exist for a court to properly exercise its jurisdiction over a case, party, or thing.

Examples:

• A court can only hear a case if the defendant is located within its jurisdiction. Therefore, the defendant's location is a jurisdictional fact.
• In a divorce case, the court can only divide property located within its jurisdiction. Therefore, the location of the property is a jurisdictional fact.

These examples illustrate that jurisdictional facts are necessary for a court to have the authority to hear a case or make a decision. Without these facts, the court would not have the power to act.