Jurisdiction over the subject matter is the legal power and authority of a court to hear and determine a particular class of actions or proceedings, based upon the object of the demand, the amount in dispute, or the value of the right asserted.
Art. 2.Jurisdiction Over Subject Matter
Title I. Courts · Chapter 1. Jurisdiction · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2 defines subject-matter jurisdiction as a court's power to hear a particular class of case, measured by the object of the demand, the amount in dispute, or the value of the right asserted.
Full Text of Art. 2
Plain-English Summary
Subject-matter jurisdiction answers a narrow question: is this the right kind of court for this kind of case? Louisiana courts are organized by function and by size of claim, so a court that can hear a landlord-tenant dispute may have no power over a succession, and a court built for small claims may have no power over a case worth a large sum.
Article 2 ties this power to three things: what the plaintiff is demanding (the object), how much money is at stake (the amount in dispute), or the value of the right being asserted when no dollar figure is obvious, such as a dispute over ownership of land. Each of Louisiana's courts, from city and parish courts up through the district courts, has its own statutory reach defined by these measures.
Filing in the wrong court does more than waste time. As Article 3 makes clear, a court without subject-matter jurisdiction cannot fix the problem because the parties want it to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is subject-matter jurisdiction?
It's a court's power to hear a particular category or size of case, based on what's being asked for, the amount in dispute, or the value of the right at stake.
Can a plaintiff choose any Louisiana court to file in?
No. The plaintiff has to file in a court that has subject-matter jurisdiction over that type and size of claim. A dispute over a large sum of money, for example, generally belongs in district court rather than a limited-jurisdiction court.
What happens if a case is filed in a court without subject-matter jurisdiction?
Any judgment that court renders is void, as Article 3 states directly. The case has to be brought in a court that has the power to decide it.
Does the amount of money at stake always control subject-matter jurisdiction?
Not always. When there's no clear dollar amount, such as a dispute over ownership of property, subject-matter jurisdiction turns on the value of the right being asserted rather than a sum of money.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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