Justice Management Division Serving Justice - Securing Results
International Courts and Tribunals
Universal Jurisdictions | Ad
Hoc Criminal Tribunals and Special Courts
International Court of Justice
"The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in The
Hague (Netherlands). It began work in 1946, when it replaced the Permanent Court
of International Justice which had functioned in the Peace Palace since 1922.
It operates under a Statute largely similar to that of its predecessor, which
is an integral part of the Charter of the United Nations."
Selected Decisions - 1946 to present
Statute
of the International Court of Justice
Basic Documents - Includes Rules of Court
Publications - Includes Judgments, Advisory Opinions, Orders, Pleadings, Oral Arguments, etc
Current Docket
Judicial Biographies
A guide to the history, composition, jurisdiction, procedure and decisions
of the Court
International Criminal Court
"On 17 July 1998 in Rome, 160 nations decided to establish a permanent International
Criminal Court to try individuals for the most serious offenses of global concern,
such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity."
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Cases
Judges' Information
Prosecutorial Documents
International Labour Organization Administrative Tribunal
"The Administrative Tribunal of the ILO hears complaints from serving and former
officials of the International Labour Office or one of the other international organizations that recognize its jurisdiction."
Triblex - Case Law Database
Statute
Rules
Judges
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
"The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial
body established by the Convention to adjudicate disputes arising out of the interpretation and application of the Convention. The Tribunal is composed of 21 independent members, elected from among persons enjoying the highest reputation for fairness and integrity and of recognized competence in the field of the law of the sea."
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Docket
List of Cases before the Tribunal
Procedure
Documents
Judges' Information
UN Oceans and Law of the Sea Home Page
Permanent Court of Arbitration
"The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is an international organization offering
a broad range of services for resolving disputes between States, as well as
disputes between States and private parties and those involving intergovernmental
organizations.... The Permanent Court of Arbitration is not a court in the strict
sense of the word, but consists of: the International Bureau, secretariat of
the PCA, headed by its Secretary-general, which assists the parties by undertaking
the administrative functions associated with dispute resolution;... the Administrative
Council, which supervises the International Bureau;... the Members of the Court,
some 265 distinguished jurists nominated by the 86 States Parties, from among
whom the parties to a dispute may choose, if they so desire, the person or persons
to whom they will entrust the task of settling their dispute."
Basic Documents
Recent and Pending Cases
Research and Publications
Rules and Procedures
Environmental Dispute Resolution
Mass Claims Processes
Panel of Arbitrators
World Bank - International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes
"ICSID was established under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment
Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the Convention) which
came into force on October 14, 1966....Pursuant to the Convention, ICSID provides
facilities for the conciliation and arbitration of disputes between member countries
and investors who qualify as nationals of other member countries. Recourse to
ICSID conciliation and arbitration is entirely voluntary. However, once the
parties have consented to arbitration under the ICSID Convention, neither can
unilaterally withdraw its consent."
Cases
Basic Documents - Includes Rules
Publications
Bilateral Investment Treaties
World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center
"Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center was
established in 1994 to offer arbitration and mediation services for the resolution
of international commercial disputes between private parties. Developed by leading
experts in cross-border dispute settlement, the procedures offered by the Center
are widely recognized as particularly appropriate for technology, entertainment
and other disputes involving intellectual property. "
Guide to Arbitration
Arbitration Rules
Guide to Mediation
Mediation Rules
Domain Name Disputes
Publications
World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body and Appellate Body
The WTO Dispute Settlement Body is made up of all member governments, usually
represented by ambassadors or equivalent. The permanent seven-member Appellate
Body is set up by the Dispute Settlement Body and broadly represents the range
of WTO membership.
WTO On-line Documents Database
Panel and Appellate Body Reports
Rules
Dispute Settlement:
Legal Text
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
"The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was established for the prosecution
of persons responsible for genocide and other serious violations of international
humanitarian law committed in the territory of Rwanda between 1 January 1994
and 31 December 1994. It may also deal with the prosecution of Rwandan citizens
responsible for genocide and other such violations of international law committed
in the territory of neighbouring States during the same period."
Cases
Public Judicial Records Database
Press Centre - Includes Press Releases, Speeches,
and Status of Detainees
Basic Legal Texts - Includes Rules and
Bilateral Agreements
Diary -
Includes Daily Journal, Daily Case Minutes, Judicial Calendar, and Latest
Decisions
Judicial Biographies
Topical Digests of the Case Law of the ICTR and the ICTY
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
"The ICTY is mandated to prosecute and try persons responsible for serious violations
of international humanitarian law committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia
since 1991."
Tribunal Cases - Indictments and Proceedings
Latest Documents and News - Includes Press Releases, Schedules, and Documents
Basic Legal Documents - Includes Rules and Regulations
Topical Digests of the Case Law of the ICTR and the ICTY
Database of ICTY Trial Transcripts
Special Court for Sierra Leone
"The Special Court for Sierra Leone was set up jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations. It is mandated to try
those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in
the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996."
Cases
Basic Legal Documents, Practice Directives, and Codes of Conduct
Judicial Biographies
Nuremberg War Crimes Trials
Library of Congress Official Documents site
Harvard Nuremberg Trials Project Digital Document Collection
Yale Law School site
University of Missouri-Kansas City site
Mazal Library documents collection
African International Courts and Tribunals
Other International Tribunals and Special Courts
Project on International Courts and Tribunals
Regional Courts
General | Economic | Human
Rights
Caribbean Court of Justice
"The Caribbean Court of Justice shall perform to the highest standards as the supreme judicial organ in the Caribbean Community.
In its original jurisdiction it ensures uniform interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, thereby underpinning
and advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. As the final court of appeal for member states of the Caribbean Community it fosters
the development of an indigenous Caribbean jurisprudence."
Judgments
Rules
Legal Documents
Judicial Biographies
The Caribbean Court of Justice: A Research Guide (from LLRX)
Central American Court of Justice (In Spanish)
Judicial body of the Organization of Central American States, an international
organization formed in 1951 to reestablish regional unity in Central America.
Member states are Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Court of Justice of the Andean Community (In Spanish and English)
The judicial body of the Andean Community, which is comprised of five judges,
each representing one of the member countries (Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru,
and Venezuela), having jurisdiction in the the five countries. The court ensures
the legality of Community provisions through nullity actions, interprets Andean
Community laws to ensure that they are applied uniformly in the member countries,
and settles disputes.
Court of Justice of the European Communities (In 22 Languages)
As the judicial branch of the European Union (EU), the European Court of Justice
reviews the legality of the acts of the Commission and the Council of Ministers
of the EU. The court has the power to invalidate the laws of EU member nations
when those laws conflict with Union law.
Guide to Researching the Council of Europe From LLRX
Court on Conciliation and Arbitration - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
"The Court was established by the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration
within the OSCE (signed December 1992), which entered into force in December
1994 after the deposition of the twelfth instrument of ratification or accession.
It is intended to settle disputes submitted to it by the OSCE States signatories
to the convention through conciliation and, where appropriate, arbitration."
The Court of Justice of the Common Market for Eastern
and Southern Africa (COMESA)
"The Court of Justice, as the judicial institution of the Common Market is the
backbone of that system of safeguards. Its Judges shall ensure that the law
is not interpreted and applied differently in each Member State, that as a shared
legal system, it remains a Common Market system and that it is always identical
for all in circumstances. In order to fulfill that role, the Court of Justice
has jurisdiction to hear disputes to which the undertakings and individuals
may be parties."
European Free Trade Agreement Court
"The EFTA Court has jurisdiction with regard to EFTA States which are parties
to the EEA Agreement (at present Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). The Court
is mainly competent to deal with infringement actions brought by the EFTA Surveillance
Authority against an EFTA State with regard to the implementation, application
or interpretation of an EEA rule, for the settlement of disputes between two
or more EFTA States, for appeals concerning decisions taken by the EFTA Surveillance
Authority and for giving advisory opinions to courts in EFTA States on the interpretation
of EEA rules. Thus the jurisdiction of the EFTA Court mainly corresponds to
the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Communities over EC
States."
North American Free Trade Agreement Secretariat
"The NAFTA Secretariat, comprised of the Canadian, U.S. and Mexican Sections,
is an unique organization, established by the Free Trade Commission, pursuant
to Article 2002, Chapter 20 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
It is responsible for the administration of the dispute settlement provisions
of the Agreement. The mandate of the NAFTA Secretariat also includes the provision
of assistance to the Commission and support for various non-dispute related
committees and working groups. "
Decisions and Reports
Legal Texts - Including NAFTA, Rules of Procedure and Code of Conduct
European Court of
Human Rights
"The European Convention on Human Rights establishes a single and permanent
system to control and protect human rights: the European Court of Human Rights.
Anyone who believes that his or her rights have been breached under the Convention
may lodge a complaint, provided no further legal remedies are available in the
national courts. The Court decides if the case is admissible, and, if it is,
establishes the facts and tries to bring about a friendly settlement. If that
fails, the Court takes a binding decision."
Inter-American Court of Human Rights (In Spanish and English)
"[The Court is] an autonomous judicial institution whose purpose is the application
and interpretation of the American Convention on Human Rights."
Jurisprudence - Decisions, Judgments, and Advisory Opinions
Publications
Composition of the court
Foreign Courts and Law Links
The International and Foreign Legal Research Center
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Guide to Court Resources
Last updated April 14, 2009 JLM
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