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 Minnesota, personal jurisdiction refers to the power of a Minnesota court to issue decisions affecting a person or entity and their property. For a Minnesota court to have personal jurisdiction, typically one of the following conditions must be met: (1) the individual or entity must reside in Minnesota; (2) if they are a nonresident, they must have established sufficient minimum contacts with Minnesota, such as conducting business, owning property, or committing a tort within the state; or (3) they must have consented to Minnesota's jurisdiction, possibly through a contractual agreement or by accepting the terms of service on a website that stipulates Minnesota law will govern disputes. Minnesota courts follow both state statutes and federal due process standards to determine if exercising personal jurisdiction is appropriate, ensuring that it is fair and reasonable to require a nonresident to defend a lawsuit in Minnesota.