Judgments, advisory opinions and orders
Every decision of the Court, by case and by date, in both official languages.
Learn more
Peace Palace · The Hague
The principal judicial organ of the United Nations
The Court settles, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The Court in numbers
Eighty years at the Peace Palace
15
judges, elected for nine-year terms by the General Assembly and the Security Council
202
cases entered in the General List between 22 May 1947 and 26 June 2026
2
official languages — English and French
1946
the year the Court began work, after the Charter established it in June 1945
Most consulted
What visitors come to icj-cij.org for
Six journeys that carry most of the site’s traffic, one card each.
Contentious cases by State
Find every case a State has been party to, applicant or respondent.
Learn more
Advisory proceedings
Opinions given on legal questions referred by UN organs and specialized agencies.
Learn more
Press releases and hearings
Press releases, the hearing calendar and the live stream from the Great Hall of Justice.
Learn more
Basic documents
The Charter, the Statute, the Rules of Court and the Practice Directions.
Learn more
Judicial Fellows Programme
A programme for recent law graduates nominated by their universities to work at the Court.
Learn more
80th anniversary
A solemn sitting on 17 April 2026
On 17 April 2026 the Court held a solemn sitting to celebrate its 80th anniversary. To mark the occasion the Chairman of the Board of the Carnegie Foundation donated a stained-glass window whose centrepiece originates from the Reformed Church in the Charlois district of Rotterdam, dating back to 1931 — an artefact from a building that survived the devastation of war.
Latest news
From the Registry
Press releases as they are issued, and the sittings scheduled in the Great Hall of Justice.
31 August 2026
Vanuatu files an application against France
A dispute concerning Vanuatu’s sovereignty over Umaenupne (Matthew) and Umaeneg/Leka (Hunter) Islands and a single maritime boundary with New Caledonia, invoking Article 38, paragraph 5, of the Rules of Court.
Read more
3 September 2026
Time-limits extended in Iran v. Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom
By Order of the President, the Reply is now due 21 October 2026 and the Rejoinder 22 March 2027 in the appeal relating to the jurisdiction of the ICAO Council under Article 84 of the Chicago Convention.
Read more
Contact
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague
Telephone +31 70 302 23 23. Correspondence in English or French to the Information Department, the Library or Procurement.