Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 March 2017
1 Statute of the International Court of Justice, Art. 1.
2 “The Court, whose function is to decide in accordance with international law such disputes as are submitted to it, shall apply:
a. international conventions, whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognized by the contesting states;
b. international custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law;
c. the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations;
d. subject to the provisions of Article 59, judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, as subsidiary means for the determination of rules of law.” Id. Art. 38(1).
3 Quoting Damrosch, Lori F., Henkin, Louis, Murphy, Sean D. & Smit, Hans, International Law: Cases and Materials 255 (5th ed. 2009)Google Scholar.
4 Roberts: ‘My Job Is to Call Balls and Strikes and Not to Pitch or Bat,’ CNN (Sept. 12, 2005), at http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/12/roberts.statement.
5 Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosn. & Herz. v. Yugo.), Provisional Measures, Order, 1993 ICJ Rep. 3 (Apr. 8).
6 Id. at 14, para. 18.
7 Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosn. & Herz. v. Yugo.), Preliminary Objections, Judgment, 1996 ICJ Rep. 595 (July 11).
8 Legality of Use of Force (Serb. & Mont. v. Belg.), Preliminary Objections, Judgment, 2004 ICJ Rep. 279, 310–11, para. 79 (Dec. 15). The Use of Force case generated multiple nearly identical opinions; the cited example is typical.
9 Application of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croat. v. Serb.), Preliminary Objections, Judgment, 2008 ICJ Rep. 412, 437, para. 77 (Nov. 18).
10 South West Africa Cases (Eth. v. S. Afr.; Liber. v. S. Afr.), Preliminary Objections, Judgment, 1962 ICJ Rep. 319, 347 (Dec. 21).
11 South West Africa Cases, Second Phase (Eth. v. S. Afr.; Liber. v. S. Afr.), Judgment, 1966 ICJ Rep. 6, 51, paras. 99–100 (July 18).
12 Military and Paramilitary Activities in and Against Nicaragua (Nicar. v. U.S.), Merits, Judgment, 1986 ICJ Rep. 14 (June 27).
13 Oil Platforms (Iran v. U.S.), Merits, Judgment, 2003 ICJ Rep. 161 (Nov. 6).
14 Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Advisory Opinion, 2004 ICJ Rep. 136 (July 9).
15 Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Dem. Rep. Congo v. Uganda), Judgment, 2005 ICJ Rep. 168 (Dec. 19).
16 Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bos. & Herz. v. Serb. & Mont.), Merits, Judgment, 2007 ICJ Rep. 43 (Feb. 26).
17 Whaling in the Antarctic (Austl. v. Japan: N.Z. intervening), Merits, Judgment, 2014 ICJ Rep. 226 (Mar. 31).
18 Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croat. v. Serb.), Merits, Judgment (Feb. 3, 2015), at http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/118/18422.pdf.
19 Maritime Delimitation in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean (Costa Rica v. Nicar.), Order (June 16, 2016), at http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/157/19054.pdf.
20 Nuclear Tests Case (Austl. v. Fr.), Judgment, 1974 ICJ Rep. 253 (Dec. 20); Nuclear Tests Case (N.Z. v. Fr.), Judgment, 1974 ICJ Rep. 457 (Dec. 20).
21 Certain Expenses of the United Nations, Advisory Opinion, 1962 ICJ Rep. 151 (July 20).
22 LaGrand Case (Ger. v. U.S.), Judgment, 2001 ICJ Rep. 466 (June 27).
23 Case Concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nationals (Mex. v. U.S.), Judgment, 2004 ICJ Rep. 12 (Mar. 31).
24 Case Concerning Maritime Dispute (Peru v. Chile), Judgment, 2014 ICJ Rep. 3 (Jan. 27).