What is subject matter jurisdiction?

Subject matter jurisdiction refers to the power of a court to hear and decide cases that involve specific types of legal issues or subjects. This is foundational to the functioning of the judicial system, as different courts are designated to handle particular types of cases based on their subject matter. For example, family courts handle divorce and custody issues, while federal courts typically address matters involving federal law or diversity jurisdiction.

Understanding the scope of a court's subject matter jurisdiction is crucial for determining where a case should be filed; if a court does not have the appropriate subject matter jurisdiction over a case, it cannot hear it, regardless of the parties involved. This ensures that cases are decided by courts that are best equipped to understand and adjudicate the specific legal questions presented.

The other options address different concepts: geographical restrictions relate to where a court can operate, the judicial review process concerns the authority of courts to review laws or executive actions for constitutionality, and the authority to hear criminal and civil cases pertains to the type of cases courts are allowed to handle but does not specifically define subject matter jurisdiction.