International Court of Justice summary

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International Court of Justice (ICJ), or World Court, Principal judicial body of the United Nations, located at The Hague. Its predecessor organization was the Permanent Court of International Justice, the judicial body of the League of Nations. Its first session was held in 1946. Its jurisdiction is limited to disputes between states willing to accept its authority on matters of international law. Its decisions are binding, but it has no enforcement power; appeals must be made to the UN Security Council. Its 15-member body of judges, each of whom serves a nine-year term, is elected by countries party to the court’s founding statute. No two judges may come from the same country. See also European Court of Justice.

Members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

arbitration Summary

Arbitration, nonjudicial legal technique for resolving disputes by referring them to a neutral party for a binding decision, or “award.” An arbitrator may consist of a single person or an arbitration board, usually of three members. Arbitration is most commonly used in the resolution of commercial

The Hague Summary

The Hague, seat of government of the Netherlands. It is situated on a coastal plain, with the city centre just inland from the North Sea. The Hague is the administrative capital of the country and the home of the court and government, though Amsterdam is the official capital. The city’s name

court Summary

Court, a person or body of persons having judicial authority to hear and resolve disputes in civil, criminal, ecclesiastical, or military cases. The word court, which originally meant simply an enclosed place, also denotes the chamber, hall, building, or other place where judicial proceedings are

United Nations Summary

United Nations (UN), international organization established on October 24, 1945. The United Nations (UN) was the second multipurpose international organization established in the 20th century that was worldwide in scope and membership. Its predecessor, the League of Nations, was created by the