What is the scope of the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction?

The Supreme Court's original jurisdiction is specifically defined by the Constitution. It is established that the Court has original jurisdiction in cases involving "ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls," and also in cases "in which a state shall be Party." This means that when such matters come before the Supreme Court, they can be heard directly by the Court rather than starting in a lower court.

This original jurisdiction is a narrow scope, reflecting the framers' intent to reserve the highest level of authority for certain significant disputes, particularly those involving international representatives and state parties. Other types of cases, such as those concerning federal laws, disputes between private citizens, or matters of constitutional interpretation, generally fall under the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction, meaning they would come to the Supreme Court through appeals from lower courts rather than starting there.