territorial jurisdiction

In law, jurisdiction refers to a court's authority to hear and decide cases. This authority is constitutionally based and can be categorized in various ways, such as appellate jurisdiction, where a higher court reviews a lower court's decision, or concurrent jurisdiction, where multiple courts have the power to hear a case. Courts also possess territorial jurisdiction, meaning their authority is limited to a specific geographic area.1

In international law, states have jurisdiction over their territory, including internal waters, territorial seas (up to 12 nautical miles), and exclusive economic zones (up to 200 nautical miles) for resource exploration and exploitation. States can also exercise jurisdiction over their nationals abroad (nationality principle) and, in limited cases, over foreign nationals whose actions affect their citizens (passive personality principle) or national interests (protective principle). Certain crimes, like piracy, are subject to universal jurisdiction, allowing any country to prosecute them.2345