Definicija: principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946. The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.

Definicija: poglavitni sodni organ OZN, s sedežem v Palači miru v Haagu. Njegovi poglavitni nalogi sta reševanje medsebojnih sporov, ki mu jih predložijo države (članice OZN ali ne), na podlagi pravil mednarodnega prava, ter izdajanje svetovalnih mnenj v zvezi z vprašanji mednarodnega prava na prošnjo Generalne skupščine, Varnostnega sveta ali drugega organa oz. specializirane agencije OZN