Final answer:
Jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear cases within a specific geographic area or over certain types of legal violations. It is foundational to the U.S. legal system and defines the range and nature of cases courts can consider, whether they are state or federal courts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lawful authority of a court to hear cases that arise within a specified geographic area or that involve particular kinds of law violations is known as jurisdiction. This concept is essential in the structure of both federal and state court systems within the United States. Jurisdiction defines not just the geographic scope of authority but also the types of cases a court can preside over. For instance, state courts generally handle most criminal and civil cases, such as robbery, divorce, or real estate matters, whereas federal courts hear cases involving federal laws, interstate commerce, or controversies between states.
The U.S. Constitution and the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789 establish the jurisdiction of the federal courts, instructing on which cases they may hear and how they're selected or assigned. Furthermore, the existence of original and appellate jurisdiction reflects the different capacities in which courts operate, whether they are hearing a case for the first time or reviewing a lower court's decision on appeal.