Suhong Yang and Shuai Guo on Selection process of judges and members at international courts and tribunals: in search of efficient transparency (JIDS)

"Selection process of judges and members at international courts and tribunals: in search of efficient transparency"
Suhong Yang (Global Academic Fellow), Shuai Guo
Journal of International Dispute Settlement, Volume 16, Issue 3, September 2025
Published online: August 2025

Abstract: Public attention has focused a lot on who the international judges are; however, the transparency of the selection process for judges and members at international courts and tribunals has been of less discussion. Transparency calls for more openness in the stages of nominating, selecting, and appointing judges or members, which in turn opens the door to public oversight of the process and may contribute to a better guarantee of the competence of judges and members. To improve the transparency of the judge selection process, this article comprises a comparative study of the judge selection process at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body, and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. It suggests an account of efficient transparency, which aims to achieve transparency with efficiency and align with the goals of these courts and tribunals.