Author Guidelines

Lentera Masyarakat Hukum welcomes original scholarly contributions addressing legal intervention in social problems, community-based legal practices, legal empowerment, access to justice, and related socio-legal issues. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that demonstrate clear scholarly contributions, methodological rigor, ethical integrity, and relevance to communities and legal practice.

1. Article Types

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

1.1 Research Article

Research Articles present original research based on empirical, doctrinal, socio-legal, comparative, interdisciplinary, or other appropriate scholarly methodologies.

A Research Article should demonstrate:

  • a clearly defined research problem or question;

  • an appropriate theoretical or conceptual framework;

  • a transparent and rigorous methodology;

  • substantive analysis and discussion;

  • original findings or arguments; and

  • a clear contribution to legal scholarship, policy, practice, or society.

1.2 Review Article

Review Articles provide a critical and systematic synthesis of existing scholarship on a significant topic within the journal's scope.

A Review Article should go beyond descriptive summarization and should identify:

  • major developments in the literature;

  • areas of scholarly agreement and disagreement;

  • methodological or conceptual gaps;

  • emerging issues; and

  • opportunities for future research.

1.3 Community-Based Practices

Community-Based Practices present documented and critically evaluated experiences of legal intervention, community service, legal empowerment, legal assistance, advocacy, legal education, restorative justice, or other community-oriented legal initiatives.

The manuscript should clearly explain:

  • the community context and legal problem;

  • objectives of the intervention;

  • methods or implementation model;

  • stakeholders and community participation;

  • outcomes and challenges;

  • evaluation of the intervention; and

  • lessons that may be transferable to other contexts.

Descriptive reports without meaningful analysis, reflection, evaluation, or scholarly contribution may not be suitable for publication.

1.4 Case Note

Case Notes provide critical analysis of significant judicial decisions, legal developments, community disputes, legal interventions, or cases with broader implications for law and society.

A Case Note should provide sufficient contextual information while focusing primarily on critical legal analysis, implications, and broader scholarly or practical significance.

2. Language

Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Indonesian.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript is written in clear, coherent, and academically appropriate language.

For manuscripts submitted in English, authors should ensure appropriate grammar, terminology, spelling, and academic style. The journal may request language revision before publication where necessary.

Legal terminology should be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

3. Originality and Exclusivity

Submitted manuscripts must be original and must not have been:

  • previously published in another journal or publication;

  • simultaneously submitted to another journal;

  • substantially reproduced from previously published work; or

  • submitted under consideration elsewhere during the journal's review process.

Authors must disclose any previous publication, conference paper, working paper, thesis, dissertation, or other publicly available version that substantially overlaps with the submitted manuscript.

The journal does not permit plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, or other forms of academic misconduct.

4. Recommended Manuscript Structure

The structure may vary according to the article type and research methodology. However, authors are generally encouraged to organize manuscripts as follows:

Research Article

  1. Title

  2. Author(s) and affiliation

  3. Abstract

  4. Keywords

  5. Introduction

  6. Literature Review/Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

  7. Methodology

  8. Results and Discussion

  9. Conclusion

  10. Acknowledgments, where applicable

  11. Conflict of Interest Statement

  12. Funding Statement, where applicable

  13. References

The journal recognizes that doctrinal legal research, socio-legal research, qualitative research, community-based research, and interdisciplinary studies may require different structures. Authors should adopt a structure appropriate to their methodology while maintaining logical scholarly organization.

Review Article

A Review Article may generally include:

  1. Title

  2. Author(s) and affiliation

  3. Abstract

  4. Keywords

  5. Introduction

  6. Review Methodology

  7. Critical Synthesis and Analysis

  8. Research Gaps and Future Directions

  9. Conclusion

  10. References

Community-Based Practices

A Community-Based Practices manuscript may generally include:

  1. Title

  2. Author(s) and affiliation

  3. Abstract

  4. Keywords

  5. Community Context and Legal Problem

  6. Intervention Design and Methodology

  7. Implementation and Community Participation

  8. Results, Evaluation, and Discussion

  9. Challenges and Lessons Learned

  10. Conclusion

  11. References

Case Note

A Case Note may generally include:

  1. Title

  2. Author(s) and affiliation

  3. Abstract

  4. Keywords

  5. Case Background

  6. Legal Issues

  7. Legal Analysis and Critical Discussion

  8. Broader Implications

  9. Conclusion

  10. References

5. Title

The title should be:

  • concise and informative;

  • specific to the subject of the manuscript;

  • relevant to the journal's scope; and

  • free from unnecessary abbreviations.

The title should clearly communicate the principal legal, social, or community issue addressed by the manuscript.

Authors should avoid excessively broad or promotional titles.

6. Author Information

Each author's full name should be provided together with:

  • institutional affiliation;

  • department or faculty, where applicable;

  • city and country;

  • institutional or professional email address; and

  • ORCID iD, where available.

The corresponding author must be clearly identified.

All individuals listed as authors must meet appropriate authorship criteria and must approve the final manuscript.

Changes to authorship after submission are subject to the journal's Publication Ethics and Authorship Policy.

7. Abstract

Each manuscript must include an abstract that provides a concise overview of the article.

For Research Articles, the abstract should generally address:

  • Background/Context

  • Objective

  • Method

  • Results/Findings

  • Conclusion/Implications

For Review Articles, Community-Based Practices, and Case Notes, the structure may be adapted to the nature of the manuscript.

The abstract should be sufficiently informative to allow readers to understand the purpose, approach, principal findings or analysis, and contribution of the article without reading the full manuscript.

8. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords or key phrases that accurately represent the principal concepts, legal issues, methods, or areas addressed in the manuscript.

Keywords should avoid unnecessary repetition of words already used in the title.

9. Introduction

The Introduction should establish the significance and context of the research or legal issue.

It should clearly explain:

  • the background of the problem;

  • the relevant legal or social context;

  • the research problem or question;

  • the gap in existing scholarship or practice;

  • the purpose or objective of the article; and

  • the article's contribution.

The Introduction should lead logically to the central problem addressed by the manuscript.

10. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

Where applicable, manuscripts should engage critically with relevant scholarly literature and establish an appropriate theoretical or conceptual framework.

Authors should prioritize:

  • recent and relevant scholarly literature;

  • high-quality peer-reviewed sources;

  • authoritative legal sources;

  • relevant international scholarship; and

  • foundational works where theoretically necessary.

A literature review should not merely list previous studies. It should demonstrate how existing scholarship relates to the research problem and identify the specific contribution of the manuscript.

11. Methodology

Authors must explain the research methodology sufficiently to allow readers to understand how the analysis or findings were developed.

Depending on the research design, the methodology may address:

  • research approach;

  • research design;

  • legal materials or data sources;

  • participant selection;

  • data collection;

  • data analysis;

  • doctrinal or comparative methods;

  • community engagement procedures; and

  • ethical considerations.

For community-based research, authors should explain the role and participation of communities and relevant stakeholders.

12. Results and Discussion

The Results and Discussion should provide substantive analysis rather than merely describe findings.

Authors should:

  • clearly present the principal findings or legal analysis;

  • relate findings to existing scholarship;

  • explain similarities and differences with previous research;

  • identify theoretical, legal, policy, or practical implications; and

  • demonstrate the contribution of the study.

Where appropriate, the discussion should distinguish between empirical findings, legal interpretation, normative arguments, and the authors' own conclusions.

13. Legal Sources and Authorities

Because Lentera Masyarakat Hukum focuses on legal scholarship, authors must ensure the accuracy and reliability of legal authorities.

Legal sources may include:

  • legislation and regulations;

  • judicial decisions;

  • treaties and international instruments;

  • customary and local law;

  • government documents;

  • institutional policies;

  • legal scholarship; and

  • other authoritative sources.

Authors must accurately identify legal provisions, case citations, dates, court names, case numbers, and other relevant legal information.

Legal authorities and quotations should be independently verified before submission.

14. Community-Based Research and Ethical Considerations

Manuscripts involving communities, interviews, surveys, personal information, or human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards.

Authors must consider:

  • informed consent;

  • privacy and confidentiality;

  • protection of vulnerable participants;

  • community autonomy and dignity;

  • potential risks or harm;

  • appropriate ethics approval where required; and

  • responsible reporting of sensitive information.

Identifying information should not be published without appropriate consent or a legitimate ethical and legal basis.

15. Tables, Figures, and Other Materials

Tables and figures should be:

  • numbered consecutively;

  • referred to in the text;

  • clearly titled;

  • appropriately sourced; and

  • sufficiently clear for publication.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission for copyrighted third-party material where required.

Any adapted or reproduced material must be properly attributed.

16. Citations and References

Authors must accurately cite all sources used in the manuscript.

References should be:

  • relevant to the argument;

  • sufficiently current where appropriate;

  • accurately represented;

  • consistently formatted; and

  • traceable to the original source.

Authors should avoid unnecessary self-citation, citation manipulation, and excessive citation of sources that do not materially support the manuscript.

The journal strongly encourages authors to use a recognized reference-management system to maintain consistency.

Where applicable, authors should provide DOIs or persistent identifiers for cited scholarly publications.

17. Reference Style

Authors should follow the journal's prescribed citation and reference style as specified in the current manuscript template.

Where the journal requires a specific style, authors must apply that style consistently throughout:

  • in-text citations or footnotes;

  • case citations;

  • legislation;

  • books;

  • journal articles;

  • websites;

  • reports; and

  • other legal and scholarly sources.

Authors should not mix different citation systems within the same manuscript.

18. Funding Statement

Authors should disclose all financial or institutional support relevant to the research.

Where applicable, the Funding Statement should identify:

  • funding organization;

  • grant number or project identifier, where applicable; and

  • the role of the funder in the research.

If the research received no specific funding, authors may state:

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

19. Conflict of Interest Statement

All authors must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

Where no conflict exists, authors may state:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this article.

20. Acknowledgments

Authors may acknowledge individuals, institutions, communities, organizations, research assistants, or other contributors who provided meaningful assistance but do not qualify for authorship.

Acknowledgments should not be used to conceal individuals who meet legitimate authorship criteria.

21. Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies for limited purposes such as language improvement, translation, or editorial assistance.

However:

  • AI systems cannot be listed as authors;

  • authors remain fully responsible for the manuscript;

  • AI must not be used to fabricate data, citations, legal authorities, quotations, or findings;

  • authors must verify AI-assisted content; and

  • substantive use of generative AI must be disclosed in accordance with the journal's Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies Policy.

Authors should exercise particular caution when using AI in relation to case law, legislation, legal citations, quotations, and other authoritative legal materials.

22. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

All manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism or similarity-detection software.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all borrowed ideas, quotations, data, arguments, and other materials are appropriately attributed.

The journal evaluates similarity reports contextually. A similarity score alone does not constitute a determination of plagiarism.

Serious plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, or other academic misconduct may result in manuscript rejection or post-publication action.

23. Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial assessment are normally subjected to double-blind peer review.

Authors should therefore ensure that the manuscript does not unnecessarily reveal their identity within the main manuscript file.

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on scholarly quality, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, ethical integrity, and contribution.

Editorial decisions may include:

  • Accept;

  • Minor Revision;

  • Major Revision; or

  • Reject.

The Editor-in-Chief or designated Editor retains final responsibility for editorial decisions.

24. Revision of Manuscripts

When revision is requested, authors should submit:

  1. the revised manuscript; and

  2. a response to reviewers explaining how each substantive comment has been addressed.

Authors should identify changes clearly where requested by the Editorial Office.

Responses should be professional, specific, and evidence-based. Where authors disagree with a reviewer, they should provide a clear scholarly justification.

25. Publication Ethics

Authors must comply with the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, including requirements concerning:

  • authorship;

  • originality;

  • plagiarism;

  • duplicate publication;

  • fabrication and falsification;

  • conflicts of interest;

  • research ethics;

  • citation practices;

  • peer review integrity; and

  • corrections and retractions.

Submission of a manuscript constitutes acknowledgment of these requirements.

26. Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing

Lentera Masyarakat Hukum is a fully open access journal.

Upon publication:

  • copyright remains with the author(s);

  • articles are freely accessible immediately;

  • no embargo applies;

  • authors may deposit the published Version of Record in repositories; and

  • articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

The CC BY 4.0 license permits sharing, adaptation, redistribution, and commercial use, provided that appropriate attribution is given and any modifications are indicated.

27. Article Processing Charge

The journal applies an Article Processing Charge (APC) of IDR 5,000,000 per accepted article.

No submission fee is charged.

The APC is payable only after formal acceptance and does not influence editorial or peer review decisions.

Withdrawal after acceptance or during production may be subject to a withdrawal fee, depending on the stage of publication and costs already incurred by the journal.

Authors should consult the journal's Article Processing Charges Policy for complete information.

28. Publication Frequency

Lentera Masyarakat Hukum is published four times a year:

  • January

  • April

  • July

  • October

The journal may also publish Special Issues focusing on specific themes within the journal's scope.

Special Issue manuscripts are subject to the same standards of editorial screening, peer review, publication ethics, and research integrity as regular submissions.

29. Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

  • The manuscript fits the journal's Focus and Scope.

  • The manuscript is original and has not been submitted elsewhere.

  • The appropriate article type has been selected.

  • All authors have approved the manuscript.

  • Author affiliations and contact details are complete.

  • An abstract and appropriate keywords are included.

  • The methodology is clearly explained.

  • All legal authorities and scholarly sources have been verified.

  • All quotations and borrowed ideas are properly cited.

  • Tables and figures are appropriately labeled and sourced.

  • Required ethical approvals or consent have been obtained where applicable.

  • Funding information has been disclosed.

  • Conflicts of interest have been disclosed.

  • Generative AI use has been disclosed where required.

  • The manuscript has been checked for plagiarism and inappropriate text reuse.

  • References are complete and consistently formatted.

  • The manuscript complies with the journal's formatting requirements.

  • The authors understand the APC of IDR 5,000,000 applicable upon acceptance.

30. Submission and Editorial Correspondence

Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's official online submission system.

All editorial correspondence should be conducted through the official journal channels. Authors should use the manuscript identification number in subsequent correspondence concerning a submitted manuscript.

Authors should not contact individual reviewers regarding the status or content of peer review.

Author Responsibility

By submitting a manuscript to Lentera Masyarakat Hukum, authors confirm that they have read and understood the journal's Author Guidelines, Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, Anti-Plagiarism Policy, Generative AI Policy, Open Access Policy, Copyright and Licensing Policy, Archiving and Deposit Policy, and Article Processing Charges Policy.

Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, ethical integrity, legal validity, and scholarly contribution of their work throughout the submission, review, and publication process.