A genuine issue of law or controversy that can be originally adjudicated within a United States federal court because it concerns U.S Constitutional law, federal statutory law, a treaty, or international law.
According to the U.S Constitution, the presence of a federal question is one of several bases under which federal district courts may exercise their original jurisdiction to try a lawsuit.
If a suit brought in state court is found to include a federal question, it may be removed to federal court by any defendant.
Related terms:
Federal preemption of state law
[Last updated in July of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]