​KembaraXtra – Legal Terms – Jurisdiction


Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court or legal body to hear and decide cases, as well as the geographical area within which that authority applies. It determines whether a court has the legal power to adjudicate a matter.


Jurisdiction can be based on several principles, especially in international law. These include the territorial principle (where the offence occurs), nationality principle (based on citizenship), protective principle (for national security), passive personality principle (where the victim is a national), and universality principle (for serious crimes like crimes against humanity). These principles ensure that legal authority is properly allocated across different legal systems.