Instructions to Authors

ARTICLE LENGTH

  • Full-length research articles should be between 5,000 to 6,000 words, excluding footnotes, tables, and references, and should not exceed 12 pages
  • Exceptionally high-quality articles may exceed the limit, subject to the Editorial Board’s discretion.
  • Case comments, legislative reviews, and book reviews are expected to be within 2,000 words.

FORMAT

  • Submissions must be in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. PDF files are not accepted.
  • Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing and justified alignment.
  • All pages must be numbered consecutively.

STRUCTURE OF THE ARTICLE

Each manuscript must include the following sections:

  • Title: Specific, clear, and within 8–10 words, without abbreviations.
  • Structured Abstract (200–250 words): Divided under the following heads:
    • Purpose
    • Research Methodology
    • Findings
    • Limitations
    • Legal/Policy Implications
    • Social Implications
    • Originality/Value
  • Keywords: 5–8 relevant keywords, optimized for search indexing. 
  • Main Body: Organize under the following suggested heads:
    • Introduction: Scope, context, literature review, and research gap.
    • Research Design/Methodology: Statement of Problem, Research Questions, , Research Hypothesis, Data collection methods, legal sources, sampling, case law selection (if applicable).
    • Analysis and Discussion: Analytical reasoning supported by cases, statutes, comparative law, or doctrinal review.
    • Findings and Discussion: Logical synthesis of research in light of the existing body of law
    • Suggestions and Conclusion: Constructive recommendations and summarised implications for law, policy, and society.

HEADINGS

  • Main Headings: Bold, 14-point font
  • Sub-Headings: Bold, 12-point font

TABLES & FIGURES

  • Tables and figures must be numbered and titled.
  • Place tables within the body of the article, close to the reference text.
  • Footnotes in tables/figures must explain asterisks or superscripts.
  • Cite sources for all figures and tables.

FOOTNOTES

  • Use footnotes rather than endnotes.
  • Citation format: The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st Edition) must be strictly followed.
  • Avoid excessive footnotes. Use them for legal citations, statutory authorities, case laws, and explanatory notes.

REFERENCES

  • All references must follow the Bluebook 21st ed.
  • Include a bibliography (optional) only if essential.
  • Ensure that every citation in the text is properly footnoted.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

  • Submissions must be original and unpublished.
  • The editorial board reserves the right to screen for plagiarism.
  • Articles with plagiarism over 10% (excluding legal citations) will be rejected outright.

AUTHORSHIP & SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  • Manuscripts under consideration elsewhere must not be submitted.
  • Revised or extended conference papers are accepted with written permission from organizers.
  • Do not include author information in the main file. Attach a separate title page with:
    • Title of the article
    • Name(s) of author(s)
    • Affiliation(s)
    • Email ID(s) and contact details
  • Articles should be written in fluent English with proper spelling and grammar checks.
  • All correspondence will be addressed to the first author.

REVIEW AND PUBLICATION PROCESS

  • The journal follows a double-blind peer review system.
  • Expected review and publication timeline: 2–3 months.
  • No Article Processing Charges (APC) or publication fees.
  • Authors will receive one complimentary print copy of the journal.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

Before submitting, ensure the following:

  • Manuscript is within the word limit
  • Separate title page with author details
  • No author identification in the manuscript file or metadata
  • Footnotes conform to Bluebook 21st ed.
  • Language and grammar check completed
  • Original work and not under review elsewhere

SUBMISSION PROCESS

  • Submit manuscripts through the Official Journal Management System (OJMS) at: [link ………] or journaleditor@sjcl.edu.in. In case of technical issues, email the article to: journaleditor@sjcl.edu.in.