International Court of Justice

Welcome to the American Model United Nations (AMUN) International Court of Justice (ICJ).
AMUN’s ICJ is a simulation that allows students to apply international law to real-life international disputes. Participants engage with a small group of up to 15 Justices hearing oral arguments from representatives of Member States in simulations of real cases brought before the ICJ in the Hague, deliberating the merits of the case and determining the outcome of the case through a written opinion. This simulation emphasizes the application of legal research and is a unique opportunity for students interested in pursuing a professional legal career.

Interested in participating in the Court? Students can apply to be a Justice of the Court. Applicants will be notified by email upon their acceptance. Parties to disputes are assigned as part of Member State representation. Parties are notified of their participation when selecting their country. Each party to the case is asked to send two Advocates, or legal representatives, to argue on their behalf.

Participation in the ICJ necessitates significant preparation and involves in-depth research and detailed writing. Whether serving as a Justice or Advocate, representatives should expect to familiarize themselves with case briefs included in the 2021 Handbooks, seek out United Nations and other credible legal sources regarding ach case and be able to research and apply relevant tenets of international law to the facts of the case.

If you are selected to participate in this simulation as either a Justice (through the application process) or Advocate (as a representative of the petitioning Member State), you can find a brief with sources about each case and information about your duties and responsibilities (i.e. how to write a memorial or how to prepare as a Justice) in the 2021 Handbooks  section for the International Court of Justice.

Please contact us at icj@amun.org with any questions.

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At AMUN’s ICJ, students can take on the roles of either Justices or Advocates. Each role is equally essential to providing a realistic representation of the ICJ.

Justices

Each year AMUN selects 15 Justices to serve as arbiters for that year’s ICJ cases. Each Justice is responsible for reading memorials submitted by Advocates and hearing arguments on each of the year’s three cases. Justices deliberate, analyze and discuss the arguments presented by Advocates to determine the appropriate application of international law in each case. Justices are also responsible for writing and delivering opinions for each case during their time at the conference.

Advocates

Advocates serve as the legal representative of a Member State before the Court, in addition to their whole-Conference roles as representatives of their assigned State. Advocates prepare written Memorials prior to the Conference and deliver Oral Arguments at the Conference, the content of which serve as the basis upon which Justices make their decisions. Oral argument is the Advocate’s opportunity to present their most compelling arguments to the Justices and sway the Court to apply their interpretation of the law and facts. Advocates should also be prepared to answer questions the Justices may ask regarding the case. Serving as an Advocate presents students with the opportunity to practice dedicated research, persuasive writing and oral presentation. Advocates will also be assigned to another simulation since a limited amount of their time will be spent presenting their case and hearing the Court’s opinion.

Memorials

Each party to a dispute before the Court is expected to write and submit a Memorial outlining their position by 25 October 2024. A Memorial is the opportunity for written advocacy which the Justices will review prior to hearing oral arguments. Memorials should include a statement of jurisdiction, an outline of applicable laws, a description of relevant facts, arguments concerning the application of the facts of the case to relevant conventions, treaties and laws, and the party’s request of the Court, e.g. how the Member State wants the Court to rule on the case. Memorials are due on 25 October 2024 and will be made available to all parties before the Conference, but only when all parties required to submit memorials for each case have done so. Please e-mail memorials to icj@amun.org.

Additional information on the role of Justices and Advocates and tips on Memorial writing and the presentation of Oral Arguments are available in "International Court of Justice" in the AMUN handbook,.

Memorials for the 2024 cases

• • Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia; Honduras and Costa Rica)
    • memorials will be posted when available
  • Questions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal)
    • Belgium Memorial
    • Senegal Memorial
  • Certain Phosphate Lands in Nauru (Nauru v. Australia)
    • memorials will be posted when available