Law terms

[lwegerton]

in law what is the name of he right of a court to hear or deal with a matter or cause

[Quizmonster]

Jurisdiction, perhaps? One of its definitions is 'the power of administering law or justice'. Also, one sometimes hears an accused - in the international court in The Hague, for example - claim: "I do not recognise the court's jurisdiction."

[lwegerton]

Turned out the answser was cognisance. Thanks.

[Quizmonster]

In both The Oxford English Dictionary and Chambers, one meaning of 'cognizance' is 'jurisdiction'. In legal terms, they are effectively synonymous, in other words. (However, if it was a law lecturer who offered the former, perhaps you'd better accept that!)

[incitatus]

in ancient legalese the right of a court to hear evidence was known as a comission of oyer, and the right to dispense sentences was a commission of terminer.