General jurisdiction refers to a court's authority to hear a wide range of cases involving a person or entity, regardless of where the events occurred. This means that if a person or business has sufficient connections to a particular state, that state's courts can typically hear any legal disputes involving them, even if the issues are unrelated to the state. For example, if a company, like XYZ Corp, is incorporated in California and conducts business there, California courts can exercise general jurisdiction over XYZ Corp. This allows them to address various legal matters, from contract disputes to personal injury claims, as long as the company has a substantial presence in the state.