Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction determines whether a court, authority or state may validly hear and decide a matter. It may concern subject matter, territory, hierarchy, value in dispute, the parties involved or international connections. In Switzerland, jurisdiction is shaped by federalism: powers are divided between federal and cantonal authorities, and procedural law often allocates disputes to specific courts or administrative bodies. In cross-border matters, jurisdiction also addresses which country’s courts may act; this is separate from the question of which law applies. A decision issued without jurisdiction may be challenged and, in serious cases, treated as invalid. Parties cannot always create jurisdiction by agreement.