Limited jurisdiction
Encyclopedia
Limited jurisdiction, or special jurisdiction, is the courts' jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...

 only on certain types of cases such as bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

, family matters, etc. http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/limited+jurisdiction

The courts of limited jurisdiction, as opposed to general jurisdiction
General jurisdiction
A court of general jurisdiction is one that has the authority to hear cases of all kinds - criminal, civil, family, probate, and so forth.-Courts of general jurisdiction in the United States:All federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. Many U.S...

, are courts whose power derives from an issuing authority (e.g. Statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...

, Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...

). Special jurisdiction courts always must demonstrate that they are authorized to exert jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...

 under their issuing authority. General jurisdiction courts must only demonstrate that they may assert in personal jurisdiction over a party.

For more information See 46 Am Jur 2d JUDGMENTS § 40 :)
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