There are many cases where member states have refused to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, or of regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Communities or the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. In 1983, of the 158 member states of the United Nations only 47 accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the UN International Court of Justice.
In 1993, out of 30 conflict situations currently dealt with by the UN, there was only one (the Slovakia/Hungary dam controversy) in which the International Court of Justice was involved.