The Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia was established in late 1991 by Croatian nationalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina amidst the backdrop of escalating tensions and conflict following Bosnia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. The territory was marked by a series of violent clashes as ethnic Croats sought to assert their independence. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, tasked with upholding the nation's constitution and legal framework, intervened on September 14, 1992. The Court's ruling deemed the creation of Herzeg-Bosnia as unconstitutional, asserting that it contradicted the unity of the Bosnian state.

This legal decision was pivotal as it aimed to reinstate the legitimacy of the central government and challenged the separatist ambitions that had fueled violence across the region. The ruling faced significant opposition from Croatian nationalists, who viewed Herzeg-Bosnia as a rightful entity representing their interests. The conflict surrounding this issue was part of a broader struggle that intertwined ethnicity, nationalism, and territorial control during the Bosnian War, which lasted from 1992 to 1995.

The ruling from the Constitutional Court came at a time when violence was rampant, leading to a humanitarian crisis in Bosnia. The international community was observing this conflict closely, and while the ruling had legal weight, the political reality on the ground was chaotic, with major factions actively engaged in war. This scenario exemplified the complexities involved in conflict resolution during civil wars, particularly in ethnically diverse societies like Bosnia and Herzegovina.