The Judges of the ICJ
How judges are elected, the principle of ad hoc judges, and the role of individual and dissenting opinions.
Composition and Election
The ICJ consists of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms by the General Assembly and Security Council voting independently and simultaneously. A candidate must obtain an absolute majority in both bodies to be elected. No two judges may be nationals of the same state. In practice, the P5 permanent members have always had a national on the bench, though this is a convention rather than a legal requirement.
Judges must possess the qualifications required for appointment to the highest judicial offices in their countries, or be recognized authorities in international law. The Court's composition is meant to represent the principal legal systems and civilizations of the world. Regional distribution is maintained informally: typically three judges from Africa, two from Latin America, three from Asia, five from Western Europe and others, and two from Eastern Europe.