What Caused the Multiplicity of International Courts and Tribunals?

Abstract

The proliferation of international courts and tribunals alias, the multiplicity of international judicial forums, is one of the topical issues in international law. This development in the realm of international dispute settlement comes, according to Phillipe Sands, at the fourth phase in the development of international adjudication. International disputes prior to 1899 were adjudicated almost exclusively between States, with some exceptions. This essay examines the various reasons given for the establishment of international courts and tribunals.