Journal profile · MEDICINE, LEGAL
Legal Medicine
ISSN 1344-6223 · eISSN 1873-4162 · Elsevier · UNITED STATES
Legal Medicine: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.42; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,540; median 54 days to acceptance (113 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 145 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Legal Medicine is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 4 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, Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies and Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes, together about 32.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Legal Medicine.Legal Medicine provides an international forum for the publication of original articles, reviews and correspondence on subjects that cover practical and theoretical areas of interest relating to the wide range of legal medicine. Subjects covered include forensic pathology, toxicology, odontology, anthropology, criminalistics, immunochemistry, hemogenetics and forensic aspects of biological science with emphasis on DNA analysis and molecular biology. Submissions dealing with medicolegal problems such as malpractice, insurance, child abuse or ethics in medical practice are also accepted.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): MEDICINE, LEGAL
Editor-in-chief H. TakeshitaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Japan 22, Germany 5, Australia 5, United Kingdom 3, United States 2 (48 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 Biology12.7%
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesArts and Humanities10.1%
- Autopsy Techniques and OutcomesMedicine9.9%
- Molecular Biology Techniques and ApplicationsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology8.4%
- Restraint-Related DeathsMedicine6.7%
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.7%
- Forensic Toxicology and Drug AnalysisPharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics4.5%
- Traumatic Ocular and Foreign Body InjuriesMedicine4.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Medicine, Legal | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 1.42LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.48LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.98LetPub ·
- h-index
- 36LetPub ·
- h-index
- 66OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,119OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.27OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 29.43%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 128LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,038 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 191 | 77 | 41 |
| 2025 | 145 | 61 | 204 |
| 2024 | 236 | 86 | 479 |
| 2023 | 153 | 62 | 761 |
| 2022 | 135 | 53 | 837 |
| 2021 | 136 | 41 | 1,079 |
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 PubMed · to
54 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 37 days – 114 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 3 days (113 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 65 days
- Sample
- 113 articles with submission and acceptance dates (381 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 7.9 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 24%Publisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 30 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 91 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 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 3,540 / EUR 3,310 / GBP 2,830 / JPY 439,070 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,540 | — | — |
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)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare2 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
Article types accepted6
- announcement of population dataAuthors are invited to submit population data to the journal in table format: as an example, please refer to Legal Medicine Volume 11 (2009), pages 302-304.Length not stated
- case reportsCase reports are acceptable only if the contribution to the better understanding in forensic pathology, forensic toxicology, or medical law is clearly described…Length not stated
- correspondenceUsually a discussion of a previously published item or commentary on the Journal. Publication of letters is solely at the discretion of the Editor.Length not stated
- research paperResearch papers should report the results of original research. The material should not have been previously published elsewhere, except in a preliminary formLength not stated
- review articleFull-length paper reviewing the state of the art or the published literature in a particular area of general interest to the readership.Length not stated
- short communicationDescription of a technical aspect of a field or issue, report on a procedure or method, or work on validation of techniques or methods.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Submission declaration Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of one reviewer for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Rea…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
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
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1344-6223
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-4162
- Society / sponsor
- Japanese Society of Legal Medicine
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Legal Medicine
What CAS zone is Legal Medicine in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Legal Medicine is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Medicine, Legal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Legal Medicine?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.42; CiteScore 2.8, h-index 66.
How long does peer review take at Legal Medicine?
Based on the dates recorded on 113 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 54 days (interquartile range 37–114 days); authors report an average review time of about 7.9 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 24%. 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 Legal Medicine?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation. 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 Legal Medicine based?
Of the 48 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Japan (22), Germany (5) and Australia (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Legal Medicine?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Legal Medicine is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Legal Medicine open access, and what is the APC?
Legal Medicine is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,540.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; 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: .