Use of AI tools

Generative AI tools, such as large language models and image generators, are increasingly used in research and writing. Journal Law and Justice follows COPE's position on authorship and AI tools: these tools may assist authors, but they cannot be authors, and people remain fully responsible for the work.

Authors

• AI tools cannot be listed as authors or cited as authors, because they cannot take responsibility for the work, approve it or declare conflicts of interest.
• Any use of AI tools beyond basic grammar and spelling checks must be disclosed in the Methods section (for use in the research) or in the Acknowledgements (for help with writing), naming the tool, its version and how it was used.
• Authors must check everything an AI tool produces. They are responsible for accuracy, for avoiding plagiarism and for making sure every reference exists and supports the statement it is cited for.
• Images, figures and data created or altered with generative AI are not accepted unless that is part of the research design and described in the Methods.

Reviewers

• Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be uploaded to AI tools or services that may store, learn from or share them.
• Reviewers write their own reports and remain responsible for their content.

Editors

• Editors keep manuscripts and correspondence confidential in the same way and take decisions themselves.

Undisclosed use

Undisclosed use of AI tools that affects the content, or fabricated references, is handled under the misconduct and corrections policies.