Which is a characteristic of ICJ jurisdiction?

• A. It can operate without any member consent at all
• B. It requires consent of the states involved
• C. It handles only regional disputes
• D. It has no advisory capacity

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the ICJ’s authority to hear cases rests on the consent of the states involved. A dispute between states only goes to the Court if those states agree to be bound by its jurisdiction—either by a treaty that includes a compromissory clause, by a special agreement between the parties for a particular case, or (for many states) through an optional declaration accepting the Court’s jurisdiction in general. The ICJ also has an advisory function, which it can exercise when requested by UN organs or certain international bodies, but that advisory role is different from its binding contentious jurisdiction. So, without states’ consent, the Court cannot hear a case, it is not limited to regional disputes, and it does have advisory capabilities.