Ancillary jurisdiction

What does Ancillary jurisdiction mean in American Law?

The definition of Ancillary jurisdiction in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

The jurisdiction of a court to determine matters and issue orders with respect to matters before it, or to property in its control, in order fully to carry out its primary jurisdiction, effectuate its previous judgments and orders, etc. Sometimes a court has jurisdiction to consider and determine matters ancillary to a matter properly before it, even if it would not have had jurisdiciton had only that matter been sought to be determined. See also pendent jurisdiction. It refers to essentially the same thing as “ancillary action” when taking place in a single court. Indeed, the original use of “ancillary jurisdiction” referred to the jurisdiction of courts of equity to issue orders to protect persons asserting legal rights in courts of law.

Meaning of Ancillary Jurisdiction

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