Federal question jurisdiction

Federal question jurisdiction is what lets federal courts hear cases about things like civil rights statutes, federal employment laws, patent and copyright disputes, and constitutional claims. The federal issue usually has to appear on the face of the complaint, not just as a defense the other side might raise. Cases that mainly involve state law normally cannot be brought as federal questions even if some federal element is in the background. There is no minimum dollar amount required for federal question cases. This kind of jurisdiction is the other main pillar of federal court authority alongside diversity jurisdiction.