Abstract The International Court of Justice (ICJ) does things with a peculiar style, which includes a distinct set of aesthetic features: specific formatting, the use of stars, a table of contents, and maps when necessary. Are these elements in judgments and advisory opinions merely formal, unworthy of attention, or is there more to be understood from studying them? This contribution argues that these formal and aesthetic features are not neutral but they constitute choices made by the Court that shape the meaning of its decisions, reinforce its authority, and mediate its relationship with different audiences. It does so by mapping the style of ICJ judgments and advisory opinions, their changes and evolutions, and by reflecting on the internal and external perceptions that these aesthetic features form and shape. Ultimately, the article shows that formal or aesthetic features are material to the texts produced by the ICJ.
Irene Miano (Wed,) studied this question.