LEGAL PRINCIPLE: JURISDICTION – Jurisdiction of Court – Determination of Jurisdiction – Plaintiff’s Claim as Basis

This restates fundamental jurisdictional principle. Jurisdiction is determined by: plaintiff’s claim as framed, relief sought, and cause of action pleaded—not defendant’s defense, actual facts as developed, or how case ultimately resolves. “Plaintiff’s claim determines” means: court examines what plaintiff claims, relief plaintiff seeks, and nature of action as pleaded—these establish whether court has jurisdiction. This serves: providing certainty at commencement, enabling jurisdictional assessment from pleadings, and preventing jurisdictional shifts based on defenses or evidence. Courts assess jurisdiction by: reading plaintiff’s claim, identifying relief sought, determining if subject matter falls within court’s jurisdiction, and making threshold determination before trial. Importance: Defendant cannot: confer jurisdiction by admission, create jurisdiction through defense, or expand jurisdiction beyond plaintiff’s claim. Similarly, defendant cannot: defeat jurisdiction by denial (if plaintiff’s claim jurisdictional), or change nature of action through counterclaim. The plaintiff’s framing controls jurisdictional assessment. However: If plaintiff mislabels claim to invoke jurisdiction where none exists (disguising true nature), courts may: look beyond labels to substance, determine actual nature of claim, and decline jurisdiction if claim actually falls outside. But starting point is always: plaintiff’s claim as pleaded determines jurisdictional question. This principle makes plaintiff’s pleading crucial for jurisdiction.