The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases involving ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and cases in which a state is a party. Specifically, it has original and exclusive jurisdiction over controversies between two or more states. It also has original but not exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving ambassadors, other public ministers or consuls, controversies between the United States and a state, and cases where a state sues citizens of another state or foreign citizens. This means such cases can be brought initially to the Supreme Court without first going through lower courts.