Data Availability and Reproducibility

Research articles should include a data or materials availability statement appropriate to the method used. The statement should identify what supports the findings, where it can be accessed and any justified restrictions.

Doctrinal and comparative studies should identify jurisdictions, the date to which the law was checked, databases or collections consulted, and the selection of cases, legislation or other materials. Empirical studies should explain sampling, instruments, coding decisions, analytical methods and relevant software.

Authors are encouraged to deposit shareable datasets, code, search strategies and non-confidential instruments in a suitable repository. Public sharing is not required where it would breach consent, privacy, confidentiality, licensing, reporting restrictions or other legal obligations. Explain the restriction and any controlled-access route that actually exists.

Do not promise that data are available on request if no lawful or practical access arrangement exists. Anonymisation must address re-identification risks, particularly for small samples, legal disputes and vulnerable groups.

Editors may request supporting materials in confidence when necessary to assess reliability. Reviewers should evaluate the transparency of the methods and the relationship between evidence and claims.