Exclusive jurisdiction exists in civil procedure if one court has the power to adjudicate a case to the exclusion of all other courts. The opposite situation is concurrent jurisdiction (or non-exclusive jurisdiction) in which more than one court may take jurisdiction over the case.

Exclusive jurisdiction is typically defined in terms of subject matter.

For example, 28 U.S.C. § 1334 gives the United States district courts exclusive jurisdiction over all matters arising in bankruptcy with a few exceptions.

On the federal level, exclusive jurisdiction allows the US Supreme Court to review the decisions in lower courts.

See also

• Original jurisdiction--the power of a court to hear a case for the first time
• Appellate jurisdiction--the power of a court to hear a case on appeal

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