Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Jurisdiction definition

What does Jurisdiction mean? Jurisdiction, in legal practice, describes a court’s power to hear and determine a dispute and the limits of that power, both by subject matter and by the territory over which the court’s authority extends. It encompasses personal jurisdiction over the parties (often based on service, presence, domicile or consent, including exclusive jurisdiction clauses) and the court’s territorial and subject‑matter competence. The term is descriptive rather than fixed by a single definition; its scope is set by statute, rules of court, international instruments and case law (for example, the Senior Courts Act 1981, the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments...

UK courts’ jurisdiction in foreign accident and personal injury claims post IP completion day: CPR PD 6B gateways, service out, consumer/employment rules, and forum non conveniens

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Practice notes

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It should be borne in mind that Brussels I (recast) may still be pertinent to proceedings issued on or after 1 January 2021, where they are connected to earlier proceedings begun before that date (see Articles 29 to 31 of Regulation (EU) 1215/2012, Brussels I (recast)).

Defining and identifying Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction denotes the authority of a court, for our purposes in England and Wales, to hear and decide a claim. It is separate from the governing law of the claim.

The courts of England and Wales may have jurisdiction to hear a claim, but this does not invariably mean that the applicable law is English law. For guidance on the various regimes for determining the applicable law, see Practice Note: Choice of law in foreign accident claims.

Jurisdiction concerns whether the claim can properly be brought in England and Wales. There are clear benefits for an individual living in England and Wales in issuing a claim there, including convenience and cost.

The test for establishing the court’s jurisdiction is assessed by reference to the position as at the date when proceedings were started. Claimant practitioners should provide a new client with early advice on whether the courts of England and...

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Andrew Wilson

Andrew has more than 25 years’ experience of working in the fields of personal injury and occupational disease litigation, acting for both claimants and defendants. He trained at L Bingham & Co, gaining early experience in a number of important high profile claims involving the MIB. During the 1990s Andrew worked at Hextalls and then Kennedys, predominantly for defendants across a range of motor, employers’ liability and public liability matters many of which involved serious injuries or death. More recently, he has dealt with cases for claimants who have suffered serious injuries or occupational disease. He was a partner in a large specialist practice. He has provided seminars to solicitors and other legal professionals both for an external conference company and in house on the workings of the Civil Procedure Rules in the context of personal injury claims, amongst other...

Web page updated on 26/05/2026

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