Personal jurisdiction is the authority a court has to make legally enforceable orders related to a person or entity and the property of the person or entity, and usually arises when a person has been sued in a lawsuit. For a court to have personal jurisdiction, the person or entity generally (1) must be a resident of the state in which the court is located; (2) as a nonresident, must have initiated sufficient minimum contacts with the state in which the lawsuit is filed; or (3) must have agreed to be governed by the laws of the state (in a contract or website terms) in which the lawsuit is filed.

In Idaho, as in other states, personal jurisdiction refers to a court's power to bring a person or entity into its court system and to make decisions affecting that person or entity. For an Idaho court to establish personal jurisdiction, the defendant must typically have a significant connection to the state. This can be established if the defendant is a resident of Idaho or if the nonresident defendant has sufficient minimum contacts with Idaho, such as conducting business or committing a tort within the state. Additionally, personal jurisdiction can be consented to if a person or entity agrees to the jurisdiction of Idaho courts, which can occur through contractual agreements or by accepting the terms of service on a website that stipulates Idaho law will govern disputes. Idaho follows the principles established by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases such as International Shoe Co. v. Washington, which require that exercising jurisdiction must not violate traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.