Jurisdictions of the High Court: The jurisdiction or the powers and the Functions of a High Court are as follows. 

(1) Original Jurisdiction: The Original 3 Jurisdiction of State High Courts is limited.

(a) Under Article 226, every High Court has been empowered to issue writs, orders, directions, including writs in the nature of Habeas corpus. Mandamus, Prohibition, Quo Warranto and Certiorari or any of them to any person or authority within its territory for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights and for any other purpose.

(2) Appellate Jurisdiction: The Appellate Jurisdiction of the High Court extends to both civil and criminal cases.

(a) The High Court can hear appeals in the civil cases if the amount involved in the case is at least Rs. 5,000 or the dispute involves a property of that amount.

(b) The High Court can hear appeals in criminal cases in which the accused has been sentenced to four year imprisonment by the Session Judge.

(c) The Session Judge of a District can award death sentences in criminal cases. But such a sentence is subject to the approval of the High Court.

(d) The High Court can hear appeals against the decision of the lower courts in most revenue cases also.

(3) Court of Record: Like the Supreme Court of India, the State High Court are also the Court of Record. As a Court of Record the State High Courts has all the powers of such a court including the power to punish for contempt of itself. Then the records of such a court are admitted to be of evidentiary value and they cannot be questioned when produced before any court.