Original jurisdiction

Original jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time, rather than on appeal from a lower court. In this context, original jurisdiction means that the court is responsible for considering the facts and legal issues of a case directly, making the initial judgment. Different courts have varying degrees of original jurisdiction; for example, the Supreme Court of the United States has original jurisdiction in certain cases, such as those involving states or foreign diplomats. This ensures that significant matters can be addressed promptly and fairly from the outset.