<P> States can also, upon mutual consent, submit disputes for arbitration by the International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, Netherlands . The judgments given by the Court in these cases are binding, although it possesses no means to enforce its rulings . The Court may give an advisory opinion on any legal question at the request of whatever body may be authorized by or in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations to make such a request . Some of the advisory cases brought before the court have been controversial with respect to the court's competence and jurisdiction . </P> <P> Often enormously complicated matters, ICJ cases (of which there have been less than 150 since the court was created from the Permanent Court of International Justice in 1945) can stretch on for years and generally involve thousands of pages of pleadings, evidence, and the world's leading specialist international lawyers . As of June 2009, there are 15 cases pending at the ICJ . Decisions made through other means of arbitration may be binding or non-binding depending on the nature of the arbitration agreement, whereas decisions resulting from contentious cases argued before the ICJ are always binding on the involved states . </P> <P> Though states (or increasingly, international organizations) are usually the only ones with standing to address a violation of international law, some treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights have an optional protocol that allows individuals who have had their rights violated by member states to petition the international Human Rights Committee . Investment treaties commonly and routinely provide for enforcement by individuals or investing entities . and commercial agreements of foreigners with sovereign governments may be enforced on the international plane . </P> <P> There are numerous international bodies created by treaties adjudicating on legal issues where they may have jurisdiction . The only one claiming universal jurisdiction is the United Nations Security Council . Others are: the United Nations International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court (when national systems have totally failed and the Treaty of Rome is applicable) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport . </P>

Who are the main subjects of international law