Pecuniary Jurisdiction
Definition
Monetary limit on the suits a civil court can try (for example a Small Causes Court has a low pecuniary cap).
- Type
- Monetary limit on suits a court can try
- Example
- Small Causes Court, low pecuniary cap
- Category
- One of the bases of civil court jurisdiction
Common questions
What happens if a civil suit's claimed value exceeds a court's pecuniary jurisdiction?+
The court lacks authority to try the case and the suit must instead be filed in a court whose pecuniary limit covers the claimed amount, or the plaintiff must properly value the claim within the lower court's cap if that is legitimate.
How does pecuniary jurisdiction differ from territorial jurisdiction?+
Pecuniary jurisdiction is about how much money a court is authorised to adjudicate, based on the claim's value, while territorial jurisdiction is about where the court is authorised to hear cases, based on where the parties or the cause of action are located. A case must satisfy both to be validly filed.
Related terms
- Admissibility
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- Examination-in-Chief
- The questioning of a witness by the party who called them. For an expert, this is typically limited because the substance is...
- Expert
- A person specially skilled in foreign law, science, art, identity of handwriting or finger impressions, under BSA 2023 Section 39 (formerly IEA...
- High Court
- Constitutional court under Article 214, one for each state or group of states (25 High Courts as of 2026). Writ jurisdiction under...
- Hostile Witness
- A witness who turns adverse to the party calling them. The court, on application, may permit cross-examination of one's own witness under...
- Magistrate Court
- Trial court for less serious offences. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Second Class, and Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) under BNSS 2023.
- Relevancy
- Logical connection of a fact with the fact in issue. Governed by BSA 2023 Sections 6 to 55 (carrying forward IEA Sections...
- Sessions Court
- Highest criminal court at district level under BNSS 2023. Tries offences punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment exceeding seven years. Headed...
- Subject-Matter Jurisdiction
- Restriction by case type (POCSO court hears child sexual offences; MACT hears motor-accident claims; family court hears matrimonial disputes).
- Supreme Court of India
- Apex court under Article 124 of the Constitution. Original, appellate, advisory and writ jurisdiction. Seat at New Delhi; benches sit only by...
- Territorial Jurisdiction
- Geographic area within which a court can take cognisance. A theft in Pune is tried by a Pune court, not a Mumbai...