Ethics Policy

PUBLICATION ETHICS & EDITORIAL POLICIES

The Journal of Legal Studies (“the Journal”) is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to promoting high-quality research in law, legal theory, public policy, and interdisciplinary socio-legal studies. The Journal provides a platform for scholars, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to publish original and rigorous legal scholarship.

These Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies apply to all authors, editors, reviewers, and other contributors associated with the Journal, and are framed in accordance with internationally accepted scholarly publishing practices, including the standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the extant guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India, including the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018, as amended from time to time.

1. DISCLAIMER POLICY

   The views and opinions expressed in articles published in the Journal are those of the respective author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Chief Patron, Patron, Chief Editor, Executive Editor, Managing Director, Editorial Advisory Board, Publisher, or Printer of the Journal. Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of facts, data, legal interpretations, and opinions expressed in their contributions. While the Editorial Board and Publisher take every reasonable effort to ensure accuracy and quality, the Journal shall not be liable for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of information or opinions contained in published articles.

2. ORIGINALITY AND INTEGRITY

   The Journal is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Every submitted manuscript must satisfy the following conditions:

   • The manuscript is the author’s own original work and has not been copied or substantially reproduced from any other source without proper attribution.
   • The manuscript is unpublished and is not simultaneously under consideration, in whole or in part, by any other journal, book, or publisher.
   • All co-authors, if any, have substantially contributed to the work and have consented to its submission in the form submitted.

3. ANTI-PLAGIARISM POLICY (IN COMPLIANCE WITH UGC GUIDELINES)

   The Journal strictly complies with the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018, and adopts the similarity thresholds and consequences prescribed therein, adapted to a journal-publication context as set out below.

   1. Plagiarism Screening

      Every manuscript is screened through recognised plagiarism-detection software (such as Turnitin, DrillBit iThenticate, Urkund, or an equivalent tool) prior to being sent for peer review.

   2. Similarity Thresholds and Consequential Action

      Every manuscript is screened through recognised plagiarism-detection software (such as Turnitin, DrillBit iThenticate, Urkund, or an equivalent tool) prior to being sent for peer review.

      Level	Similarity Index	Editorial Action
      Level 0	Up to 10%	Minor similarity; treated as properly cited/contextual overlap. No action required.
      Level 1	Above 10% up to 40%	Author is required to revise and resubmit the manuscript, with proper citation/paraphrasing, within a stipulated time.
      Level 2	Above 40% up to 60%	Manuscript is rejected; author may be debarred from submitting fresh work to the Journal for a defined period.
      Level 3	Above 60%	Manuscript is summarily rejected; matter may be reported to the author’s parent institution and the author blacklisted from future submissions.

      Where a manuscript has already been accepted or published, similarity levels above the acceptable threshold, if detected subsequently, shall be dealt with under the Journal’s retraction procedure and may be reported to the author’s employing or affiliating institution, consistent with the UGC framework.

   3. Forms of Plagiarism Not Permitted

      • Direct copying of text without attribution or quotation

      • Self-plagiarism, including recycling of the author’s own previously published work without disclosure

      • Mosaic plagiarism (patchworking of phrases from multiple sources)

      • Improper or inadequate paraphrasing

      • Uncited or misattributed quotations

      • Fabricated or falsified data, and citation manipulation

      Every manuscript is screened through recognised plagiarism-detection software (such as Turnitin, DrillBit iThenticate, Urkund, or an equivalent tool) prior to being sent for peer review.

   4. Author Declaration

      Every author must submit a signed declaration at the time of submission confirming that: (i) the work is original; (ii) all sources relied upon have been properly referenced; (iii) no plagiarism, in any form, is involved; and (iv) any use of AI tools has been disclosed in accordance with Clause 4 below.

4. USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TOOLS

   In keeping with UGC guidance on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in academic writing and research, and in line with prevailing standards of academic integrity, the Journal adopts the following policy:

   • AI tools (including generative AI and large language models) may be used only in a limited, supportive capacity for instance, for language editing, grammar correction, or formatting and not to generate substantive legal analysis, arguments, or original content on the author’s behalf.
   • Any use of AI tools in the preparation of a manuscript must be explicitly disclosed by the author(s) in the acknowledgements or methodology section, specifying the tool used and the purpose for which it was used.
   • AI tools cannot be listed or credited as an author or co-author of a manuscript, as they cannot bear responsibility or accountability for the work.
   • Undisclosed or substantial use of AI-generated content shall be treated as an act of academic misconduct on par with plagiarism, and shall be dealt with in accordance with the similarity/severity framework at Clause 3.2 and the sanctions at Clause 12, in accordance with UGC guidelines.
   • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and legal soundness of all content submitted, irrespective of whether any part of it was prepared with the assistance of AI tools.

5. PEER REVIEW POLICY

   The Journal follows a rigorous, Double-Blind Peer Review process, under which the identities of authors and reviewers remain confidential to one another throughout the review.

   1. Review Process

      • Initial Screening: The manuscript is checked for scope, formatting, originality, and plagiarism.

      • IEditorial Review: The Editor evaluates the manuscript for academic quality, relevance, and fit with the Journal’s scope.

      • IDouble-Blind Review: The manuscript is sent to at least two independent, subject-matter reviewers, with all identifying information of authors and reviewers withheld.

      • IReview Decision: Based on reviewer reports, the Editorial Board arrives at one of the following decisions - Accepted; Accepted with Minor Revisions; Accepted with Major Revisions; or Rejected.

   2. Review Criteria

      • Originality and novelty of contribution.

      • Research methodology and analytical rigour.

      • Quality of legal analysis and reasoning.

      • Contribution to legal scholarship and contemporary discourse

      • Clarity of argument and organisation.

      • Accuracy and propriety of citations.

      • Language quality and standard of writing.

   3. Indicative Review Timeline

      Stage	Indicative Duration
      Initial screening	Within 1 month of submission
      Peer review	2 to 3 months
      Communication of final decision 2	3 to 4 months from submission

      Timelines are indicative and may vary depending on reviewer availability, the volume of submissions, and the extent of revisions required.

6. PUBLICATION ETHICS: DUTIES OF AUTHORS, EDITORS, AND REVIEWERS

   1. Duties of Authors

      Authors must:

      • Submit original work and avoid plagiarism in any form.

      • Provide accurate data, facts, and legal citations.

      • Cite all relied-upon sources properly.

      • Disclose any conflicts of interest.

      • Acknowledge funding sources, where applicable.

      • Ensure that all co-authors have consented to the submission.

      • Disclose any use of AI tools in accordance with Clause 4.

      Authors must not:

      • Submit the same manuscript, in whole or in substantial part, to more than one journal or publisher simultaneously.

      • Fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data, findings, or citations.

      • Claim authorship for individuals who have not made a substantial contribution to the work.

   2. Duties of Editors

      Editors must:

      • Evaluate manuscripts fairly, on their academic merit, irrespective of the author’s identity, institution, or background.

      • Maintain confidentiality of all submissions during the review process.

      • Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.

      • Ensure that editorial decisions are unbiased and well-reasoned.

      Editors must not:

      • Disclose any information about a manuscript under review to persons other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and relevant editorial staff.

      • Use unpublished material from a submitted manuscript for their own research without the express written consent of the author.

   3. Duties of Reviewers

      Reviewers must:

      • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the manuscript under review.

      • Provide an objective, constructive, and well-substantiated evaluation.

      • Flag any suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or undisclosed AI-generated content to the Editorial Board.

      • Declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where necessary.

      Reviewers must not:

      • Use the content of a manuscript under review for personal benefit or advantage.

      • Share the manuscript, or any part of it, with any third party without the Editor’s authorisation.

7. AUTHORSHIP POLICY

   The Journal recognises as an “author” only a person who has made a substantial intellectual contribution to the conception, research, or drafting of the manuscript, and who takes responsibility and accountability for its content.

   Unless otherwise permitted by the Editorial Board in a particular category of submission, a manuscript may have a maximum of two authors (i.e., one principal author and one co-author). Any request for additional co-authors must be justified in writing and is subject to the Editorial Board’s discretion.

   All co-authors must consent to the manuscript being submitted in the form in which it is submitted, and any change in authorship (addition, removal, or change in order of authors) after submission must be communicated to, and approved by, the Editorial Board in writing.

8. COPYRIGHT POLICY

   Upon acceptance of a manuscript for publication, the copyright in the article shall stand assigned and transferred, absolutely and exclusively, by the author(s) to the Journal of Legal Studies. Such assignment shall include, without limitation, the exclusive right to reproduce, publish, distribute, translate, archive, and communicate the work to the public, in any format or medium now known or hereafter devised, and to authorise third parties to do the same.

   Notwithstanding the assignment of copyright, the author(s) shall:

   • Continue to be credited and identified as the author(s) of the work in all editions and reproductions of the article;
   • Retain the right to use the published article, or extracts thereof, for their own non-commercial academic purposes including teaching, conference presentations, inclusion in a personal or institutional repository, or a doctoral/postdoctoral thesis provided that full and proper attribution is given to the Journal as the place of first publication; and
   • Retain the moral right to be identified as the author and to object to any distortion, mutilation, or derogatory treatment of the work that would be prejudicial to their honour or reputation.

   No part of a published article may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or used in any other publication, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the Journal, save as permitted under the Open Access Policy at Clause 9 or applicable law.

   Authors submitting a manuscript to the Journal are deemed to have read, understood, and accepted this Copyright Policy, and are required to execute a Copyright Transfer/Assignment Form in the format prescribed by the Journal prior to publication.

9. OPEN ACCESS POLICY

   The Journal follows an Open Access Policy under which published articles are made freely available to readers, without subscription or paywall, for academic and research purposes.

   • All articles are freely accessible on the Journal’s website.
   • No subscription or access fee is charged to readers.
   • Readers may read, download, and use articles for academic and research purposes, provided that appropriate attribution is given to the author(s) and the Journal.

   Open access to readers does not affect or dilute the copyright assignment made by the author(s) to the Journal under Clause 8.

10. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

    Authors are required to submit the following at the time of submission:

    • The manuscript, in MS Word (.doc/.docx) format.
    • A separate file containing author details (name, designation, institutional affiliation, and contact information)
    • An abstract of aprox. 300 words.
    • 5 to 7 keywords.
    • Proper citations in Bluebook 21st edition citation style
    • A signed Author Declaration (Clause 3.4) and, upon acceptance, a Copyright Transfer Form (Clause 8)

11. ANTI-MALPRACTICE STATEMENT AND SANCTIONS

    The Journal strictly prohibits the following forms of academic malpractice:

    • Plagiarism, in any form.
    • Undisclosed or substantial use of AI-generated content.
    • Fabrication or falsification of data.
    • Duplicate or simultaneous submission/publication.
    • Fake, false, or unconsented authorship.
    • Manipulation of citations.

    Depending on the nature and severity of the malpractice and consistent with the levels of severity recognised under the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018 a violation may result in one or more of the following consequences:

    • Rejection of the manuscript.
    • Retraction of the article, if already published.
    • A formal notification to the author’s employing or affiliating institution.
    • Blacklisting of the author from future submissions to the Journal.

    Note: These Policies are subject to periodic review and revision by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Legal Studies to remain consistent with evolving standards of academic publishing and applicable UGC guidelines.