International Court of Justice

Also known as: ICJ, World Court

Written by

Karen Mingst

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026 •History

International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). The idea for the creation of an international court to arbitrate international disputes first arose during the various conferences that produced the Hague Conventions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The body subsequently established, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, was the precursor of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ), which was established by the League of Nations. From...