The Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal is a postgraduate

Postgraduate education

Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...

-edited international

International law

Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...

 and comparative

Comparative law

Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the law of different countries. More specifically, it involves study of the different legal systems in existence in the world, including the common law, the civil law, socialist law, Islamic law, Hindu law, and Chinese law...

 law journal

Law review

A law review is a scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association...

 from the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

 Faculty of Law, covering the study of legal trends and developments within and between Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...

s.

Content

The journal includes articles, case notes and book reviews. Case notes critically analyse and evaluate rulings from the House of Lords

Judicial functions of the House of Lords

The House of Lords, in addition to having a legislative function, historically also had a judicial function. It functioned as a court of first instance for the trials of peers, for impeachment cases, and as a court of last resort within the United Kingdom. In the latter case the House's...

, the Privy Council

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...

, the national courts of the Commonwealth States, the European Court of Justice

European Court of Justice

The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...

, and the European Court of Human Rights

European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...

.

Topics of recent articles

• Comparative: good faith; agency; consideration; legitimate expectation; equity and unregistered land rights; recovery of economy loss in negligence; the Westminster system; breach of trust; comparative models of constitutionalism; unjust enrichment; rights of survivorship; violence in professional sport; entrapment; Internet libel.
• Africa: state liability in Botswana; economic development in Ghana; policing in Kenya; management of land in Nigeria; extrajudicial services of judges in South Africa; corporate insolvency in Zambia.
• Asia: human rights litigation in Hong Kong; confidentiality regarding HIV/AIDS in India; case-management in Singapore.
• The Americas: capital punishment in the Caribbean; freedom of religious expression in Canada.
• Oceania: native title in Australia; the rule of law in Fiji; jurisprudential theory in New Zealand; divorce in the Solomon Islands.

Organisation

The OUCLJ is published biannually by Hart Publishing in collaboration with the Faculty of Law. Its editorial board comprises a General Editor and four Supervising Editors, assisted by up to twenty Associate Editors. The 2011-12 General Editor of the Journal is Stephen Dimelow. Submissions for publication are double blind reviewed

Peer review

Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...

. The journal is financially assisted by the Rhodes Trust

Rhodes House

Rhodes House is part of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on the south of South Parks Road in central Oxford, and was built in memory of Cecil Rhodes, an alumnus of the university and a major benefactor.- History :...

and supported by a board of patrons consisting of current or former judges from Commonwealth jurisdictions.

External links

• Journal page at Oxford Faculty of Law