Law Review

Definition

A law review is an academic journal that publishes scholarly articles on legal topics, often written by legal scholars, practitioners, and law students. These publications serve as important resources for legal research and scholarship, helping to shape the understanding of legal principles and the development of law. Law reviews are usually peer-reviewed, ensuring a high standard of quality and reliability, making them valuable sources for legal practitioners and researchers.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Law reviews often publish articles that critically examine current legal issues, propose reforms, and analyze case law.
2. Most law reviews are associated with law schools and may also include contributions from faculty members, judges, and practicing attorneys.
3. The citation style used in law reviews typically follows the Bluebook format, which is essential for proper legal referencing.
4. Law reviews can serve as a platform for students to gain practical experience in legal writing and editing while contributing to scholarly discourse.
5. Some law reviews focus on specialized areas of law, such as environmental law or intellectual property, providing targeted insights into those fields.

Review Questions

• How do law reviews contribute to the evaluation of legal sources and their reliability?
  • Law reviews play a crucial role in evaluating legal sources by providing peer-reviewed scholarly articles that analyze and interpret various aspects of the law. This process ensures that the information presented is credible and rigorously examined by experts in the field. As a result, law reviews become essential resources for understanding complex legal issues and assessing the reliability of different legal sources.
• In what ways do law reviews differ from other periodicals when it comes to publishing legal scholarship?
  • Law reviews differ from other periodicals by focusing specifically on legal scholarship and maintaining a high standard of academic rigor through a peer-review process. While general periodicals may cover a wide range of topics, law reviews are dedicated to in-depth analysis of legal principles, court cases, and legislative developments. Additionally, contributions to law reviews often come from legal scholars, practitioners, and students with expertise in the subject matter, ensuring a focused discussion on relevant legal issues.
• Evaluate the impact of law reviews on the evolution of legal standards and practices in contemporary jurisprudence.
  • Law reviews significantly impact the evolution of legal standards and practices by providing a forum for critical analysis, debate, and discussion among scholars and practitioners. Articles published in these journals can influence judicial decisions by bringing attention to specific issues and proposing interpretations that courts may consider. Furthermore, as these publications circulate within academic and professional circles, they contribute to shaping public policy and informing legislative reforms, thereby playing a vital role in the ongoing development of contemporary jurisprudence.

Related terms

Peer Review:

A process in which experts in a field evaluate the quality and credibility of a manuscript before it is published in a scholarly journal.

Legal Scholarship: The study and analysis of legal principles, theories, and issues through academic research and writing, often resulting in articles published in law reviews.

Case Note: A comment or analysis of a specific court case, often published in law reviews, highlighting its significance and implications for the law.