Art. 2 Jurisdiction over subject matter

Every court has limits on the kinds of cases it can handle. This rule explains what "subject matter jurisdiction" means: it's the court's legal power to hear a certain type of case in the first place.

Whether a court can hear your case depends on a few things. It might depend on what you're asking for, how much money is involved, or the value of the right you're trying to protect. For example, some courts only handle small claims under a certain dollar amount, while others are set up to handle bigger or more complex disputes.

This matters because if you file your case in the wrong court, one that doesn't have the power to hear that type of case, the court cannot make a valid decision on it. The case could get thrown out, no matter how strong your arguments are. That's why it's important to file your lawsuit in a court that actually has the authority to decide the type of dispute you have.