Editing Jurisdiction (section)

=== General and limited jurisdiction ===
A court whose subject matter is not limited to certain types of controversy is referred to as a ''court of general jurisdiction''. In the [[U.S. state]]s, each state has courts of general jurisdiction; most states also have some courts of limited jurisdiction. Federal courts (those operated by the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]]) are all courts of limited jurisdiction. [[Federal jurisdiction (United States)|Federal jurisdiction]] is divided into [[federal question jurisdiction]] and [[diversity jurisdiction]]. The [[United States district court]]s may hear only cases arising under federal law and treaties, cases involving ambassadors, admiralty cases, controversies between states or between a state and citizens of another state, lawsuits involving citizens of different states, and against foreign states and citizens.

Certain courts, particularly the [[United States Supreme Court]] and most [[state supreme court]]s, have [[discretionary jurisdiction]], meaning that they can choose which cases to hear from among all the cases presented on appeal. Such courts generally only choose to hear cases that would settle important and controversial points of law. Though these courts have discretion to deny cases they otherwise could adjudicate, no court has the discretion to hear a case that falls outside of its subject matter jurisdiction.