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International Court of Justice

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International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice (ICJ; French: Cour internationale de justice, CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It settles legal disputes submitted to it by states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by other UN organs and specialized agencies. The ICJ is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes between countries, with its rulings and opinions serving as primary sources of international law. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. Established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations, the Court began work in April 1946. It is the successor to the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ), which was established by the League of Nations in 1920. Its founding statute is an integral part of the UN Charter and draws heavily from that of its predecessor. All UN member states are automatically parties to the ICJ Statute. However, the Court's jurisdiction in contentious cases is founded upon the consent of the states party to a dispute, which may be given through special agreements or declarations accepting the Court's compulsory jurisdiction. The Court is composed of a panel of 15 judges elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council for nine-year terms. The composition of the bench is required to represent the "main forms of civilization and the principal legal systems of the world," and no two judges may be nationals of the same country. The ICJ is seated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, making it the only principal UN organ not located in New York City. Its official working languages are English and French. Since its first case was submitted in 1947, the Court has entertained 201 cases as of September 2025. While its judgments are binding on the parties and final, the ICJ possesses no formal enforcement mechanism. Enforcement of its rulings is ultimately a political matter for the UN Security Council, where it is subject to the veto power of the five permanent members.

Infobox

Established
June 26, 1945; 80 years ago (1945-06-26)
Jurisdiction
Worldwide, 193 state parties
Location
The Hague, Netherlands
Coordinates
52°05′12″N 4°17′44″E / 52.08667°N 4.29556°E / 52.08667; 4.29556
Authorised by
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Judge term length
9 years
Number of positions
15
Website
icj-cij.org/home
Currently
Julia Sebutinde
Since
6 February 2024

Tables

· Composition › Current composition
Yuji Iwasawa
2018
2018–2030
Yuji Iwasawa
Name
Yuji Iwasawa
Nationality
Japan
Position
Presidentab
Term began
2018
Term ends
2030
Julia Sebutinde
2012
2012–2030
Julia Sebutinde
Name
Julia Sebutinde
Nationality
Uganda
Position
Vice-presidenta
Term began
2012
Term ends
2030
Peter Tomka
2003
2003–2030
Peter Tomka
Name
Peter Tomka
Nationality
Slovakia
Position
Member
Term began
2003
Term ends
2030
Ronny Abraham
2005
2005–2027
Ronny Abraham
Name
Ronny Abraham
Nationality
France
Position
Member
Term began
2005
Term ends
2027
Xue Hanqin
2010
2010–2030
Xue Hanqin
Name
Xue Hanqin
Nationality
China
Position
Member
Term began
2010
Term ends
2030
Dalveer Bhandari
2012
2012–2027
Dalveer Bhandari
Name
Dalveer Bhandari
Nationality
India
Position
Member
Term began
2012
Term ends
2027
Georg Nolte
2021
2021–2030
Georg Nolte
Name
Georg Nolte
Nationality
Germany
Position
Member
Term began
2021
Term ends
2030
Hilary Charlesworth
2021
2021–2033
Hilary Charlesworth
Name
Hilary Charlesworth
Nationality
Australia
Position
Member
Term began
2021
Term ends
2033
Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant
2022
2022–2027
Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant
Name
Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant
Nationality
Brazil
Position
Member
Term began
2022
Term ends
2027
Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo Verduzco
2024
2024–2033
Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo Verduzco
Name
Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo Verduzco
Nationality
Mexico
Position
Member
Term began
2024
Term ends
2033
Sarah Cleveland
2024
2024–2033
Sarah Cleveland
Name
Sarah Cleveland
Nationality
United States
Position
Member
Term began
2024
Term ends
2033
Bogdan Aurescu
2024
2024–2033
Bogdan Aurescu
Name
Bogdan Aurescu
Nationality
Romania
Position
Member
Term began
2024
Term ends
2033
Dire Tladi
2024
2024–2033
Dire Tladi
Name
Dire Tladi
Nationality
South Africa
Position
Member
Term began
2024
Term ends
2033
Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud
2025
2025–2027
Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud
Name
Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud
Nationality
Jordan
Position
Member
Term began
2025
Term ends
2027
Phoebe Okowa
2025
2025–2027
Phoebe Okowa
Name
Phoebe Okowa
Nationality
Kenya
Position
Member
Term began
2025
Term ends
2027
Philippe Gautier
2019
2019–2026
Philippe Gautier
Name
Philippe Gautier
Nationality
Belgium
Position
Registrar
Term began
2019
Term ends
2026
a For the 2024–2027 term b ICJ President Nawaf Salam resigned to assume the office of Prime Minister of Lebanon. Yuji Iwasawa was elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
a For the 2024–2027 term b ICJ President Nawaf Salam resigned to assume the office of Prime Minister of Lebanon. Yuji Iwasawa was elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Name
a For the 2024–2027 term b ICJ President Nawaf Salam resigned to assume the office of Prime Minister of Lebanon. Yuji Iwasawa was elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Name
Nationality
Position
Term began
Term ends
Yuji Iwasawa
Japan
Presidentab
2018
2030
Julia Sebutinde
Uganda
Vice-presidenta
2012
2030
Peter Tomka
Slovakia
Member
2003
2030
Ronny Abraham
France
Member
2005
2027
Xue Hanqin
China
Member
2010
2030
Dalveer Bhandari
India
Member
2012
2027
Georg Nolte
Germany
Member
2021
2030
Hilary Charlesworth
Australia
Member
2021
2033
Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant
Brazil
Member
2022
2027
Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo Verduzco
Mexico
Member
2024
2033
Sarah Cleveland
United States
Member
2024
2033
Bogdan Aurescu
Romania
Member
2024
2033
Dire Tladi
South Africa
Member
2024
2033
Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud
Jordan
Member
2025
2027
Phoebe Okowa
Kenya
Member
2025
2027
Philippe Gautier
Belgium
Registrar
2019
2026
a For the 2024–2027 term b ICJ President Nawaf Salam resigned to assume the office of Prime Minister of Lebanon. Yuji Iwasawa was elected to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
· Composition › Presidents
1
1
#
1
President
José Gustavo Guerrero
Start
1946
End
1949
Country
El Salvador
2
2
#
2
President
Jules Basdevant
Start
1949
End
1952
Country
France
3
3
#
3
President
Arnold McNair
Start
1952
End
1955
Country
United Kingdom
4
4
#
4
President
Green Hackworth
Start
1955
End
1958
Country
United States
5
5
#
5
President
Helge Klæstad
Start
1958
End
1961
Country
Norway
6
6
#
6
President
Bohdan Winiarski
Start
1961
End
1964
Country
Poland
7
7
#
7
President
Percy Spender
Start
1964
End
1967
Country
Australia
8
8
#
8
President
José Bustamante y Rivero
Start
1967
End
1970
Country
Peru
9
9
#
9
President
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan
Start
1970
End
1973
Country
Pakistan
10
10
#
10
President
Manfred Lachs
Start
1973
End
1976
Country
Poland
11
11
#
11
President
Eduardo Jiménez de Aréchaga
Start
1976
End
1979
Country
Uruguay
12
12
#
12
President
Humphrey Waldock
Start
1979
End
1981
Country
United Kingdom
13
13
#
13
President
Taslim Elias
Start
1982
End
1985
Country
Nigeria
14
14
#
14
President
Nagendra Singh
Start
1985
End
1988
Country
India
15
15
#
15
President
José Ruda
Start
1988
End
1991
Country
Argentina
16
16
#
16
President
Robert Jennings
Start
1991
End
1994
Country
United Kingdom
17
17
#
17
President
Mohammed Bedjaoui
Start
1994
End
1997
Country
Algeria
18
18
#
18
President
Stephen Schwebel
Start
1997
End
2000
Country
United States
19
19
#
19
President
Gilbert Guillaume
Start
2000
End
2003
Country
France
20
20
#
20
President
Shi Jiuyong
Start
2003
End
2006
Country
China
21
21
#
21
President
Rosalyn Higgins
Start
2006
End
2009
Country
United Kingdom
22
22
#
22
President
Hisashi Owada
Start
2009
End
2012
Country
Japan
23
23
#
23
President
Peter Tomka
Start
2012
End
2015
Country
Slovakia
24
24
#
24
President
Ronny Abraham
Start
2015
End
2018
Country
France
25
25
#
25
President
Abdulqawi Yusuf
Start
2018
End
2021
Country
Somalia
26
26
#
26
President
Joan Donoghue
Start
2021
End
2024
Country
United States
27
27
#
27
President
Nawaf Salam
Start
2024
End
2025
Country
Lebanon
28
28
#
28
President
Yuji Iwasawa
Start
2025
End
2027
Country
Japan
#
President
Start
End
Country
1
José Gustavo Guerrero
1946
1949
El Salvador
2
Jules Basdevant
1949
1952
France
3
Arnold McNair
1952
1955
United Kingdom
4
Green Hackworth
1955
1958
United States
5
Helge Klæstad
1958
1961
Norway
6
Bohdan Winiarski
1961
1964
Poland
7
Percy Spender
1964
1967
Australia
8
José Bustamante y Rivero
1967
1970
Peru
9
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan
1970
1973
Pakistan
10
Manfred Lachs
1973
1976
Poland
11
Eduardo Jiménez de Aréchaga
1976
1979
Uruguay
12
Humphrey Waldock
1979
1981
United Kingdom
13
Taslim Elias
1982
1985
Nigeria
14
Nagendra Singh
1985
1988
India
15
José Ruda
1988
1991
Argentina
16
Robert Jennings
1991
1994
United Kingdom
17
Mohammed Bedjaoui
1994
1997
Algeria
18
Stephen Schwebel
1997
2000
United States
19
Gilbert Guillaume
2000
2003
France
20
Shi Jiuyong
2003
2006
China
21
Rosalyn Higgins
2006
2009
United Kingdom
22
Hisashi Owada
2009
2012
Japan
23
Peter Tomka
2012
2015
Slovakia
24
Ronny Abraham
2015
2018
France
25
Abdulqawi Yusuf
2018
2021
Somalia
26
Joan Donoghue
2021
2024
United States
27
Nawaf Salam
2024
2025
Lebanon
28
Yuji Iwasawa
2025
2027
Japan

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    http://e-journaloflaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Critical-Analysis-on-the-Ineffectiveness-of-the-ICJ-in-the-Settlement-of-Disputes-between-States-The-Example-of-Nicaragua-Case.pdf
  83. British Yearbook of International Law
    https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbybil%2Fbrt003
  84. "Is the International Court of Justice Politically Biased?"
    https://escholarship.org/uc/item/35j504rg
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