The United Nations has two main judicial organs: the International Court of Justice and the United Nations Dispute Tribunal.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). It began work in 1946.
The Court has a dual role:
- to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States;
- and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The United Nations Dispute Tribunal is an independent body which adjudicates disputes between staff members and the United Nations. It is based in New York (USA).
What is the UN International Court of Justice?
The United Nations International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. The Court's role is to settle legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The Court is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms of office by the United Nations General Assembly. It is assisted by a Registry, its administrative organ. The current President of the Court is Peter Tomka from Slovakia.
The Court has a two-fold role:
• to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States (contentious cases);
• to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies (advisory proceedings).
How many International Court of Justice are there?
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in 1946 as the successor to the Permanent Court of International Justice. The ICJ's seat is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New York (United States of America).
The Court has a dual role: first, to settle in accordance with international law the legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The Court is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms of office by the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations. It is assisted by a Registry, its secretariat, which is responsible for its administrative activities, and a Directorate of Public Affairs, which assists and represents it in its public information activities.