Subject matter jurisdiction defines a court’s power to decide a lawsuit involving a particular subject matter, and to render an enforceable judgment. A court generally has jurisdiction when the particular claim raised in the case is within its constitutional jurisdiction—as provided by the state constitution or the U.S. Constitution—or because jurisdiction has been mandated by the state legislature or the United States Congress.

In Oregon, subject matter jurisdiction refers to a court's authority to hear and decide cases of a specific nature. The Oregon Constitution and various statutes establish the scope of subject matter jurisdiction for different courts within the state. For example, the Oregon Circuit Courts are the general jurisdiction trial courts, handling a wide range of civil and criminal cases. Conversely, specialized courts like the Tax Court and the Workers' Compensation Board have jurisdiction over specific types of disputes, such as tax issues and workers' compensation claims, respectively. Federal courts, on the other hand, have jurisdiction over cases involving federal law, disputes between states, and cases where the parties are from different states and the amount in controversy exceeds a certain threshold. Both the state and federal systems respect the principles of the U.S. Constitution, which can also confer or limit jurisdiction, such as in cases affecting ambassadors or where the state is a party. Jurisdiction mandated by the Oregon legislature or the United States Congress is codified in statutes that delineate the types of cases certain courts can hear.