Under the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Hague regulations of 1907 the coalition has clear responsibilities and clear limits to its authority.

BBC: Short's resignation statement

At least 27 soldiers and 20 militants had been killed, Lebanese security officials told the Associated Press Monday, but the officials said they did not know how many civilians had been killed inside the camp because it is off-limits to their authority.

NPR: Brief Pause in Lebanese Violence Allows Aid

He was forced to acknowledge that his authority was subject to at least some limits and that he was beholden to his followers.

FORBES: The End of Leadership--at Least As We Know It!

The authority might extend the time limits applicable in antitrust investigations to smooth the transition, the source said.

FORBES: EU Expected To Hit Hard On Antitrust Enforcement In 2013

The State Department stands "ready to assist incarcerated citizens and their families within the limits of our authority in accordance with international law, " the agency says.

CNN: Traveling abroad? Here's some advice after U.S. mom jailed in Mexico

In Pittsburgh, the cradle of the American energy industry in the 19th century, banned new drilling projects within city limits in 2010, but the state is challenging the authority of cities to issue such bans.

WSJ: As energy boom nears cities, a backlash grows

Individual towns and cities have their own Legal Traffic Authority (LTA) that sets their own speed limits, and sometimes even have to obtain approval from the state DOT before implementing them.

FORBES: The High Price Of Speeding