SUPPLEMENTAL JURISDICTION Meaning and
Definition
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Supplemental jurisdiction refers to the legal authority of a court to hear additional claims that are related to the original claim which granted subject matter jurisdiction to the court. It enables a court to exercise its jurisdiction over claims that would not, on their own, meet the criteria for subject matter jurisdiction.
In the United States, Article III of the Constitution grants federal courts their jurisdiction, which is generally limited to cases involving federal law or those involving parties from different states in certain circumstances. However, federal courts may also be granted supplemental jurisdiction to hear related state law claims that arise from the same set of circumstances as the federal claim.
Supplemental jurisdiction is commonly used to avoid duplicative litigation in separate state and federal courts when both federal and state claims are presented in a single lawsuit. It promotes judicial efficiency by allowing the court to address all related claims in a single proceeding, thereby saving time, resources, and potentially conflicting outcomes.
Courts exercise supplemental jurisdiction at their discretion, applying factors such as convenience, fairness, judicial economy, and comity in deciding whether to hear additional claims. However, if the federal claim that originally granted subject matter jurisdiction is dismissed or resolved before the supplemental claims, the court may choose to decline exercising supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining claims.
Supplemental jurisdiction is an essential tool that allows courts to manage related claims efficiently and ensure a comprehensive resolution of legal issues arising from the same set of facts.
Etymology of SUPPLEMENTAL JURISDICTION
The term "supplemental jurisdiction" is derived from two words: "supplemental" and "jurisdiction".
The word "supplemental" comes from the Latin word "supplementum", which means an addition or something added to complete a thing. In English, "supplemental" refers to something that adds extra or additional support, information, or assistance.
The word "jurisdiction" comes from the Latin roots "jus" (meaning law) and "dicere" (meaning to speak or pronounce). It refers to the official power or authority of a court to interpret and apply the law within a particular territory or over a specific subject matter.
Therefore, the term "supplemental jurisdiction" combines the idea of something additional or extra (supplemental) with the legal authority or power (jurisdiction).
