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 Pennsylvania, subject matter jurisdiction refers to a court's authority to hear and decide cases of a specific nature. The Pennsylvania Constitution, statutes, and rules of court outline the jurisdiction of various courts within the state. For example, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has the highest authority and generally handles appeals from lower courts. The Commonwealth Court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving state and local governments and regulatory matters. The Superior Court hears appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas, which are the trial courts of general jurisdiction and handle a wide range of civil and criminal cases. Magisterial District Courts have jurisdiction over minor civil disputes, small claims, landlord-tenant matters, and summary offenses. Each court can only hear cases that fall within its designated authority as defined by law. Federal courts, on the other hand, have jurisdiction as provided by the U.S. Constitution and federal laws enacted by Congress, which typically include cases involving federal law, disputes between states, and matters involving diversity of citizenship.