The ICJ's jurisdiction in disputes between states requires what?

• A. It can adjudicate disputes irrespective of consent
• B. It requires consent of the states involved
• C. It can only advise on policy but not decide disputes
• D. It handles maritime disputes only

Answer: (B)

Consent from states is what gives the ICJ the authority to resolve disputes between them. The Court does not have universal compulsory jurisdiction; it can only hear a case when the states involved have agreed to submit the dispute. Consent can come in several forms: a treaty clause that obliges parties to submit disputes to the ICJ, a state's general acceptance of the Court's compulsory jurisdiction through an optional clause declaration (Article 36(2)), or a specific agreement between the parties to bring a particular dispute to the Court (a compromissory agreement). If the parties have not provided consent for that dispute, the Court cannot render a binding decision. The ICJ can also issue advisory opinions at the request of UN organs, but those are not contentious disputes between states. The Court's jurisdiction is not limited to maritime law; it handles a broad range of interstate questions, all contingent on consent.