Journal profile · Medicine, Legal
International Journal of Legal Medicine
ISSN 0937-9827 · eISSN 1437-1596 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Bimonthly · Founded 1922
International Journal of Legal Medicine: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.62; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,590; median 120 days to acceptance (131 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 291 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal of Legal Medicine is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Forensic and Genetic Research, Medical and Health Sciences Research and Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies, together about 32.4% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Official Publication of the International Academy of Legal Medicine It is the aim of the International Journal of Legal Medicine to improve the scientific armamentarium necessary for the elucidation of crime and for related forensic applications at a high level of evidential proof. The subject will be dealt with in: Review articles tracing development in specific areas and providing up-to-date analysis of them Original articles discussing recent research results of a high standard Case reports describing interesting and exceptional cases Short Communications discussing research results on a maximum of 4 pages Letters to the Editors, in which the readers have the opportunity of expressing their comments on new results reported or indeed on other matters, and Technical notes, which appear in a section originally created for rapid publication of data in the dynamic field of DNA analysis. Other fields have already made valuable contributions, however, and of course these are also welcome. This section is designed to provide a forum for discussion of innovative protocols and methodologies: papers submitted for publication have should provide clear and concise information on the advantages over existing methods and/or new data. DNA manuscripts can also deal with short validation studies, population data, quality control studies, etc. Manuscripts should not exceed 6 typescript pages in length; much shorter contributions are also very welcome. Forensic imaging related papers will be considered if directly related to forensic medicine issues. Either forensic clinical or postmortem imaging papers using X-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance tomography, sonography, 3D-surface scanning, angiography techniques or other technology may be submitted whereas papers related digital image forgery issues will not be considered within the International Journal of Legal Medicine. The International Journal of Legal Medicine will continue to be a regular source of essential information in the areas of: - Forensic pathology, including sudden death, thanatology, and demonstration of vital reactions - Clinical forensic pathology, including such topics as non-accidental injury and rape - Forensic haemogenetics, with special emphasis on the recent advances in DNA technology and PCR - Forensic toxicology, as it relates for example to alcohol and drug addiction, and recent technology - Traffic medicine, with special reference to reconstruction, causal connections, and medical co
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Medicine, Legal
Editor-in-chief Tony FracassoPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 2%); most named Germany 19, Italy 7, Switzerland 7, Japan 3, Australia 3 (59 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Forensic and Genetic ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology12.6%
- Medical and Health Sciences ResearchMedicine10%
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesArts and Humanities9.8%
- Autopsy Techniques and OutcomesMedicine9.1%
- Molecular Biology Techniques and ApplicationsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.3%
- Restraint-Related DeathsMedicine5.7%
- Criminal Law and PolicySocial Sciences5%
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 1 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 1 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINECurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.62LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.6LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.86LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.35LetPub ·
- h-index
- 75LetPub ·
- h-index
- 119OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,539OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.56OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 15.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 51.56%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 276LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,300,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 12,803 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 330 | 168 | 90 |
| 2025 | 291 | 154 | 716 |
| 2024 | 248 | 142 | 1,418 |
| 2023 | 207 | 122 | 1,879 |
| 2022 | 191 | 97 | 2,292 |
| 2021 | 275 | 141 | 3,650 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
120 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 85 days – 166 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 17 days (131 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 138 days
- Sample
- 131 articles with submission and acceptance dates (673 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,590 / EUR 3,590 / GBP 2,890 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; use of an LLM must be documented in the Methods section Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
Competing interests disclosure required Model summary
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data and materials (including software/code) should support published claims and comply with field standards Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in International Journal of Legal Medicine, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1922
- ISSN
- 0937-9827
- Electronic ISSN
- 1437-1596
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 140, Issue 5 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal of Legal Medicine
What CAS zone is International Journal of Legal Medicine in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal of Legal Medicine is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Medicine, Legal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal of Legal Medicine?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.62; CiteScore 4.6, h-index 119.
How long does peer review take at International Journal of Legal Medicine?
Based on the dates recorded on 131 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 120 days (interquartile range 85–166 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of International Journal of Legal Medicine?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal of Legal Medicine based?
Of the 59 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 2%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (19), Italy (7) and Switzerland (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal of Legal Medicine?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal of Legal Medicine is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is International Journal of Legal Medicine open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal of Legal Medicine is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,590.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .