Jurisdiction (noun)

1. The official power to make legal decisions and judgements.
2. The range of authority or control.
3. A geographical area over which a particular court or legal system has the power to make decisions.

Origin:

Late 16th century: from latin jurisdictio(n-), from jurisdicere "administrate justice", from juris "of the law" + dicere "to say, decide".

Examples:

1. The jurisdiction of the local court was limited to minor offenses.
2. The jurisdiction of the federal government extends over the entire country.
3. The jurisdiction of the international tribunal includes war crimes.
4. The jurisdiction of the courts was defined by the laws of the state.
5. The jurisdiction of the board was limited to educational issues.