Article 38 of the statute of the International Court of Justice outlines the sources of law that the court will apply when making its decisions. These sources include international conventions, international custom, general principles of law recognized by civilized nations, judicial decisions, and the teachings of highly qualified publicists. The court may also consider equity and the moral principles that underlie international law. This article essentially lays out the framework for the court to interpret and apply the law in cases brought before it.
