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UN System Documentation

The symbol of justice on a green fence at the entrance to the Peace Palace.

A symbol depicting justice at the entrance to the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), at The Hague in the Netherlands. UN Photo UN7722564. 

A view of the UN flag flying in front of the Peace Palace building.

The United Nations flag flies in front of the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice at The Hague. UN Photo UN7722562. 

A wide view of the courtroom with justices seated at the head of the room. A man in a red robe stands before a podium at the center facing the justices.

A wide view of the courtroom of the International Court of Justice. March 2022. UN Photo UN7925782. 

A view of the courtroom. The justices are seated at the right of the photo, courtroom attendees are seated to the left, and a group of people are standing at the far end of the room.

A view of the courtroom of the International Court of Justice. December 2019. UN Photo UN7844627.

International Court of Justice Documentation

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the UN. 

  • International Court of Justice website
  • Established through the adoption of the UN Charter and Statute of the ICJ in 1945;
  • Current status available from the UN Treaty Collection;
  • Located in The Hague, The Netherlands;
  • Successor to the Permanent Court of International Justice;
  • Reports to the General Assembly 
    • Supplement 4 to the General Assembly Official Records (GAOR)
    • A/session/4
    • example: A/75/4

The Court has two functions:

  • To settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted by States, and
  • To give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies.

The Court sits in the Peace Palace, along with other institutions concerned with international law, including the Peace Palace Library. The Peace Palace Library is not a UN body.  It provides excellent research guides on a variety of international law topics.