multi-jurisdictional law

The abstention doctrine is an authority that precludes federal courts from hearing cases within their jurisdictions; instead, giving state courts authority over the case.

The abstention doctrine is an authority that precludes federal courts from hearing cases within its jurisdictions, instead, giving state courts authority over the case.

Codification is the process of compiling rules and laws into an orderly, formal system, or code. The code is a structured compilation of enacted laws in a legislative statute.

Comity refers to courts of one state or jurisdiction respecting the laws and judicial decisions of other jurisdictions – whether state, federal or international – not as a matter of obligation but out of deference and mutual respect.

Comity of nations doctrine permits the recognition of foreign proceedings to the extent that such proceedings are determined to be orderly, fair, and not detrimental to another nation’s interests.

The principle of complementarity is the basis of the relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and national courts in relation to the application of international criminal law. 

Two or more courts have concurrent jurisdiction over a case if all of the courts have the power to hear it. Most notably, in the United States and state courts have concurrent jurisdiction to hear many types of actions.

Conflict of laws refers to a difference between the laws of two or more jurisdictions with some connection to a case, such that the outcome depends on which jurisdiction's law will be used to resolve each issue in dispute. The conflicting legal rules may come from U.S. federal law, the laws of U.S. states, or the laws of other countries. 

Controlling law refers to the body of law a court will apply in resolving a dispute. Because states have widely different substantive laws, identifying which law is controlling can determine the outcome of a case.

Cracking is a form of gerrymandering that consists of drawing district boundaries to spread a particular community thinly across multiple districts to split their vote and lessen the effectiveness of their votes. For example, a large minority neighborhood may be split into pieces, even down to the street level, to ensure that their preferred candidate is not elected in any of the districts. 

• minority vote dilution
• redistricting
• VOTING RIGHTS