What is supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367?

• A. To hear unrelated state-law claims solely on motion.
• B. To hear related state-law claims that form part of the same case when there is original jurisdiction.
• C. To hear only federal questions.
• D. To hear state claims without any federal basis.

Answer: (B)

Supplemental jurisdiction lets a federal court hear state-law claims that are so related to a federal claim in the same action that they form part of the same case or controversy under Article III. The catch is the court must already have original jurisdiction over at least one claim (a federal-question or diversity-based claim) for §1367 to apply. When those conditions are met, related state-law claims arising from the same nucleus of operative facts can be included in the same suit and decided in one forum, avoiding piecemeal litigation. This concept does not permit hearing unrelated state-law claims, nor does it limit the action to federal questions only, and it does not allow state claims to proceed without any federal basis.