Question:medium

'Opinio juris' means:

Updated On: Jul 13, 2026
  • Opinion of the jurists
  • Opinion of law
  • State practice
  • Law of opinion
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

International law recognises custom as a source of binding rules only when two things exist together: states actually behaving a certain way, and states believing that behaviour is legally required of them. The Latin term in the question is the name for the second element.

  1. Opinion of the jurists: mixes this up with academic opinion, but opinio juris is about the conviction of states, not the views of legal writers.
  2. Opinion of law: is the accurate translation, a state observing a rule because it believes the rule is legally binding on it, not just because it is convenient or customary in a non-legal sense.
  3. State practice: is the other half of the test for custom, the actual consistent conduct of states, it is a separate requirement from the belief element the question is asking about.
  4. Law of opinion: is simply the phrase reversed and does not reflect any accepted doctrine.

The correct answer is Opinion of law, since opinio juris refers to a state's belief that a practice it follows is legally obligatory.

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