Venue vs Jurisdiction
The significance of the difference between venue and jurisdiction arises when they are used in a legal context. Both terms can be confusing as they superficially refer to a place. Jurisdiction generally refers to the authority or control a particular body has over something, or the extent to which the body can exercise its authority or control over something. Venue, however, refers to the court in which the case is to be held.
What does Jurisdiction mean?
Jurisdiction is derived from the Latin words ‘juris’ meaning ‘oath’ and ‘dicere’ meaning ‘to speak’. It refers to the authority granted to a legal body or political leader to deal with legal matters and direct justice within their area of responsibility. Jurisdiction can also denote the geographical area in which the authority is granted. There are three concepts of jurisdiction: personal, territorial, and subject matter jurisdiction.
What does Venue mean?
Venue refers to the location where a case is heard, which is usually either a county or a district in the United States. It deals with the locality of a lawsuit and essentially decides the place where a lawsuit may be filed. Defendants and plaintiffs can both waive venue at the time of trial, and a change of venue can be done in both civil and criminal cases.
Key Takeaways
- Jurisdiction refers to the authority granted to deal with legal matters and direct justice within an area of responsibility, while venue refers to the location where a case is heard.
- Jurisdiction can be personal, territorial, or subject matter, while venue deals with the locality of a lawsuit.
- Both defendants and plaintiffs can waive venue at the time of trial, but jurisdiction cannot be waived as it is about authority.
