- (a.) Sphere of authority; the limits within which any particular power may be exercised or within which a government or a court has authority.
- (a.) The authority of a sovereign power to govern or legislate; the right of making or enforcing laws; the power or right of exercising authority.
- (a.) The legal power, right or authority of a particular court to hear and determine causes, to try criminals or to execute justice; judicial authority over a cause or class of causes; as, certain suits or actions or the cognizance of certain crimes, are within the jurisdiction of a particular court, that is, within the limits of its authority or commission.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). jurisdiction. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/jurisdiction/definitions/2024953 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "jurisdiction" http://smartdefine.org/jurisdiction/definitions/2024953 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, jurisdiction, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/jurisdiction/definitions/2024953>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "jurisdiction" 27 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/jurisdiction/definitions/2024953> |