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ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

authority to consider and decide cases in the first instance, as distinguished from APPELLATE JURISDICTION (see jurisdiction), which is the authority to review a decision or judgment of an inferior tribunal. EXAMPLE: The Constitution of the United States provides that the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in all cases affecting ambassadors. Notwithstanding any issue of diplomatic immunity, if an ambassador from France were sued, the Supreme Court, rather than some lower court, would hear the case. Source: Barron's Dictionary of Legal Terms, Steven H. Gifis, 5th Edition; © 2016