Ethical integrity forms the foundation of Ainpatra: Journal of Legal Studies. The journal is dedicated to maintaining the highest principles of academic honesty, transparency, and responsibility at every stage of the publication process. It strives to uphold the dignity of legal research by ensuring that all published works represent originality, truth, and scholarly rigor. The journal aligns its ethical framework with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all participants in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers—to observe these standards with sincerity and diligence.
Editors play a decisive role in maintaining the academic and ethical standards of the journal. Their decisions must reflect fairness, independence, and scholarly judgment.
Editorial decisions are based solely on the manuscript’s academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope. No decision shall be influenced by the author’s gender, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political perspective.
All manuscripts and related communications must be treated as confidential. Editors are not permitted to share any details of submitted works with anyone except the corresponding author, reviewers, or designated editorial staff.
Editors must avoid handling any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest arising from personal, financial, or professional relationships. In such cases, the editorial responsibility shall be reassigned to another qualified member of the board.
Editors must act with integrity when ethical concerns are raised. Reports of plagiarism, falsified data, or unethical behavior must be investigated with due care. When necessary, editors have the authority to issue corrections, retractions, or explanatory notes to maintain the journal’s credibility.
Reviewers are partners in the academic process and serve as guardians of quality and integrity. Their evaluations help ensure that only sound and valuable research is published.
Reviewers must provide assessments that are impartial and grounded in academic reasoning. Their evaluation should focus on the manuscript’s contribution, methodology, and clarity, avoiding personal criticism or bias.
Manuscripts received for review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not discuss or use any part of the manuscript for personal benefit.
If reviewers notice uncited work, overlapping research, or similarities with previously published material, they should inform the editors. This helps ensure the completeness and originality of scholarship.
Reviewers must declare any conflict that might affect their impartiality. They should decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist.
Reviewers are expected to submit their evaluations within the time period agreed upon, allowing the editorial process to proceed smoothly and efficiently.
Authors are entrusted with the primary duty of ensuring that their research represents an authentic and ethical contribution to legal scholarship.
Every manuscript submitted to the journal must be entirely original. The use of others’ ideas, expressions, or data must be properly acknowledged through recognized citation standards. Any form of plagiarism, data manipulation, or fabrication constitutes a breach of academic ethics. The journal subjects all manuscripts to plagiarism screening to preserve the integrity of published scholarship.
Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such, if practicable, and should in any event be prepared to retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.
Authorship should be based on significant intellectual contribution to the conception, research, or writing of the work. All those who have made meaningful contributions should be listed as authors, while others who have assisted in technical or clerical ways should be acknowledged appropriately. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
Authors must ensure that their findings are represented honestly and that all data included in the manuscript are accurate and complete. Misrepresentation of research data, manipulation of findings, or omission of critical information undermines academic trust and will not be tolerated. Authors should be prepared to provide supporting data for editorial verification whenever required.
Authors must declare any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that might influence their research outcomes or interpretation. Transparency in funding and affiliations is essential to ensure objectivity and to preserve readers’ trust.
If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their responsibility to inform the editors immediately. The author must cooperate in issuing a correction, retraction, or clarification as determined by the Editorial Board.
The publisher of Ainpatra: Journal of Legal Studies supports the editorial board in maintaining ethical standards and protecting academic independence.
The publisher ensures that every published work reflects accuracy and scholarly reliability. Any errors, ethical violations, or disputes are handled with transparency and due diligence to maintain public trust in the academic record.
The publisher provides necessary support and resources to editors and reviewers to handle ethical matters effectively. It also promotes awareness of publication ethics among contributors and editorial staff.
All journal policies relating to open access, peer review, copyright, and corrections are clearly stated and implemented consistently to ensure fairness and accountability.
The journal maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward research and publication misconduct.
Any suspicion of unethical behavior such as plagiarism, falsification, redundant publication, or authorship manipulation will be investigated promptly and confidentially by the Editorial Ethics Committee.
Investigations are conducted fairly and in accordance with COPE guidelines. Authors are given the opportunity to respond to allegations before any final decision is reached.
If misconduct is established, the journal may issue corrections, retractions, or remove the article from publication. Serious cases may result in a prohibition on future submissions and, where appropriate, notification to the author’s institution.
Ainpatra: Journal of Legal Studies believes that law and ethics share a common purpose—the pursuit of justice through truth and fairness. The journal’s ethical policy reflects the spirit of legal responsibility, intellectual honesty, and respect for scholarship. Every published work is expected to uphold these values, ensuring that Ainpatra remains a space of credible, principled, and meaningful legal discourse.