The principal judicial organ of the United Nations is the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
This main body of the UN settles legal disputes submitted to it by States parties in accordance with international law. The Court is competent to entertain a dispute only if the States concerned have accepted its jurisdiction. It also gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it from authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. Find out more about how the Court works.
The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of nine years by the General Assembly and the Security Council.