International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Definition

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, tasked with settling legal disputes submitted by states and providing advisory opinions on international legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. It aims to ensure that international law is applied in a consistent and impartial manner.

Related terms

Sovereignty:

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state; a core principle respected by the ICJ in its judgments.

Treaty: A formal agreement between two or more states in reference to peace, alliance, commerce, or other international relations, often forming the basis of cases brought before the ICJ.

Jurisdiction:

The official power to make legal decisions and judgments; in the context of the ICJ, it refers to its capacity to hear cases and provide binding decisions for consenting states