Submissions

The American Bankruptcy Law Journal seeks to publish articles making significant, original contributions to the field of bankruptcy law and related subjects.

In contrast to the majority of law reviews, manuscripts are only accepted for publication after a double-blind peer review by one of a group of leading bankruptcy scholars. Then one or more of the bankruptcy judges who serve on the Journal’s editorial board edits each accepted manuscript. Editorial standards are rigorous. The Journal publishes four issues each year. Generally, an issue will cover a range of bankruptcy subjects. Occasionally there will be a symposium issue treating a central theme. Several different issues may be in preparation at one time.

The guidelines for submission of manuscripts to the Journal and information of interest to authors are distinct because of our unique status as a judge-edited journal and our peer review system.

Manuscripts can be submitted by completing the form below and uploading the full-text OR submit it via Scholastica (https://scholasticahq.com). However, please submit in only one location. The manuscript should be formatted in Microsoft Word. Manuscripts, excluding footnotes, should be double-spaced. Citation forms should comply with the latest edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation , that currently being 21st ed. 2020, copyright by Columbia Law Review, Harvard Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review and The Yale Law Journal. Citations must be accurate and complete. Unlike with student-edited reviews, the judges who edit the Journal lack the time or resources to assist with footnote preparation.

The peer review policy is designed to insure high quality of articles published in the Journal and to aid authors in improving manuscripts through thoughtful comments. In accordance with that policy, all articles submitted for publication are reviewed initially by the Editor to determine if peer review is warranted and to which peer reviewer the article should be assigned. The peer reviewer is asked to give the Editor a recommendation as to whether to publish. The reviewer also provides comments on possible changes or supplements to the article. These comments are shared with the author. The final publication decision remains that of the Editor. The peer review process is double blind; the author and the peer reviewer do not know each other’s identity. Periodically, individuals who have provided peer reviews for that Volume will be acknowledged. We thank each individual who stands ready to serve as a peer reviewer and acknowledge their commitment to professionalism.

For those authors who commit to publish the submitted manuscript in the Journal if the manuscript is accepted, we make a best efforts commitment to communicate an acceptance, revise and resubmit, or rejection decision within 30 days of the date that the Editor acknowledges receipt of the article. (If an author has not received such an acknowledgment within one week of electronic submission of a manuscript, the author should call 918-699-4065 to address whether the manuscript has been received.) We reserve the right not to publish an article, even one that has been solicited.

The Journal licenses its articles for electronic distribution through Lexis, Westlaw, and other online services. The Journal retains any royalties from these distributions.

If the author wishes to retain a copyright to an article, the author should so indicate on the article at the time that it is submitted for publication consideration. In that case, the article will be noted.   Request for permission or distribution other than those mentioned above will be conveyed directly to the author.