As well as the official Law Reports, the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales (ICLR) publishes The Weekly Law Reports, The Industrial Cases Reports, The Business Law Reports, The Public and Third Sector Law Reports and the Consolidated Index to leading law reports.
The Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales was established in 1865 by members of the legal profession with the object of the
“preparation and publication, in a convenient form, at a moderate price, and under gratuitous professional control, of Reports of Judicial Decisions of the Superior and Appellate Courts in England and Wales.”
Memorandum and Articles of Association, 1870
This is as important today as ever and explains why we are universally regarded as the most authoritative source of English case law.
Citation of judgments in court
“5 When authority is cited, whether in written or oral submissions, the following practice should be followed.
6 Where a judgment is reported in the official Law Reports (AC, QB, Ch, Fam) published by the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales, that report must be cited. These are the most authoritative reports; they contain a summary of the argument. Other series of reports and official transcripts of judgment may only be used when a case is not reported in the official Law Reports.
7 If a judgment is not (or not yet) reported in the official Law Reports but it is reported in the Weekly Law Reports (WLR) or the All England Law Reports (All ER) that report should be cited. If the case is reported in both the WLR and the All ER either report may properly be cited.
8 If a judgment is not reported in the official Law Reports, the WLR or the All ER, but it is reported in any of the authoritative specialist series of reports which contain a headnote and are made by individuals holding a Senior Courts qualification (for the purposes of section 115 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990), the specialist report should be cited.”
see Practice Direction (Citation of Authorities) [2012] 1 WLR 780.
The Courts We Cover
ICLR’s law reporters cover cases decided by the following courts and tribunals:
- The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
- The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
- The Court of Justice of the European Union
- The Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
- The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
- The King’s Bench Division of the High Court, including the Divisional Court
- The Chancery Division of the High Court
- The Family Division of the High Court and the Family Court
- The Court of Protection
- The Employment Appeal Tribunal
- The Competition Appeal Tribunal
- The Upper Tribunal (all chambers)
- The Court Martial Appeal Court
- The Consistory Court
- The Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved
- The Chancery Court of York
Mission and Values
Our Mission
To support the legal profession and the administration of justice by providing the official law reporting service in a convenient form and at a moderate price
Our Values
Public benefit – we support the proper administration of justice
Commitment – we are committed to serving the legal profession and fostering the education and training of lawyers
Accessibility – we are your primary source for leading case law, delivered electronically and in print, and in as accessible a format as possible given the age and nature of some of the content
Trust – we are trusted to deliver the highest standards of accurate and authoritative law reporting
Independence – we are a not for profit organisation, free of state or shareholder influence
Members of the Council
Chairman R Fleck Esq CBE
Vice-Chairman Miss M Bowron KC
Ex-officio Members
The Rt Hon The Lord Hermer KC MP Attorney General
Sarah Sackman KC MP Solicitor General
R Atkinson Esq President of The Law Society
Nominated and Elected Members
Lincoln’s Inn
His Hon Judge David Hodge KC
The Hon Sir Alastair Norris
Inner Temple
Miss M Bowron KC
Dr M Malecka
Middle Temple
The Hon Mr Justice Roth
P Susman Esq KC
Gray’s Inn
J Clarke Esq
The Hon Mr Justice Turner
General Council of the Bar
Miss A Bright
F Sadiq Esq
The Law Society
Mrs S Abraham
M Anderson Esq
Co-opted Members
R Fleck Esq CBE
K Hamer Esq
Prof J Lee
Ms L Lee
Ms S Thomas
Secretary/CEO
K Laws Esq
Megarry House, 119 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PP
