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 Maryland, personal jurisdiction refers to the power of a Maryland court to make decisions affecting a person or entity and their property. For a Maryland court to have personal jurisdiction, typically one of the following conditions must be met: (1) the individual or entity must be a resident of Maryland; (2) if they are a nonresident, they must have established sufficient minimum contacts with Maryland, such as conducting business, owning property, or committing a tort within the state; or (3) they must have consented to Maryland's jurisdiction, possibly through a contractual agreement or by accepting the terms of service on a website that stipulates Maryland law will govern disputes. Maryland courts apply a 'minimum contacts' test to determine if exercising jurisdiction over a nonresident is appropriate, ensuring that it does not violate traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.