For a court to do anything, it needs two kinds of jurisdiction. Subject Matter Jurisdiction is the power of the court to do something (to adjudicate dispute). More specifically, it is the power of the court to enter an enforceable order. Many lawyers misunderstand what’s meant by subject-matter jurisdiction based on the Illinois Constitution and Illinois’ caselaw. That caselaw includes several Illinois Supreme Court decisions. Collectively, they hold that subject matter jurisdiction does not refer to the specific statutory authority to grant relief.
“Personal Jurisdiction” is the ability of the court to exercise the power as to a particular individual. As we know, a lack of personal jurisdiction does not deprive the court of its subject matter jurisdiction – only the ability to exercise the power of the court on individuals who have not been brought into court through service of summons or otherwise.
