1. Focus and Scope
2. Publication Frequency and Model
3. Section Policies
4. Editorial team Roles and Responsibilities
5. Open Access and No-Fee Policy
6. Editorial Process and Publication Timeline
7. Publisher and Funding
8. Advertising Policy
9. Interoperability, Dissemination, and Self-Archiving Policy
Iuris Dictio is a semiannual, peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to legal scholarship and debate.
Founded in 1998, it is affiliated with the College of Jurisprudence at USFQ and published by USFQ PRESS.
It publishes original research in Spanish and English, as well as "Book reviews", "Interviews", and "Translations".
Online ISSN: 2528-7834
Permanent link: https://revistas.usfq.edu.ec/index.php/iurisdictio
1. Focus and Scope
Iuris Dictio is a peer-reviewed, open-access, semiannual journal focused on the study of law. The issues are published in June and December. Its objective is to share original and recent research in Spanish and English that contributes to the analysis and discussion of complex legal phenomena.
With the aim of ensuring that the debate is shared extensively, regularly, and within the framework of a socially responsible international academic community, Iuris Dictio operates under an online first publication model. All published texts are freely accessible and available for circulation.
The journal was founded in 1998 and is affiliated with the School of Law at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. It operates on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform and is published by USFQ Press, the publishing house of Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. It is grounded in the philosophy of the liberal arts and, as such, welcomes specialists from diverse institutions and academic backgrounds as part of its Editorial team.
In its quest to understand the contemporary world, the journal strives to ensure that each issue combines a broad analysis of the law with the specialized focus required by specific legal topics, through the publication of innovative, high-quality contributions by scholars engaged in academic research.
The journal is indexed and listed in various databases such as MIAR, ERIHPLUS, LATINDEX 2.0, MLA, CZ3, LATINREV, BASE, DOAJ, Latinoamericana Revistas, LATAM, Google Scholar, and OAJI to ensure the visibility and accessibility of its content. See the complete list of indexings and databases in the following section: indexing.
Iuris Dictio is aimed at a specialized legal audience and features five sections: dossier, miscellany, reviews, interviews, and translations.
2. Publication Frequency and Model
Iuris Dictio is a peer-reviewed academic journal published semiannually, with two issues per year: the first covering January through June and the second covering July through December. Since 2023, the journal has adopted an online first publication model, allowing accepted articles to be published online before their final assignment to a journal issue.
Manuscript submissions are accepted year-round for the “Miscellaneous Articles,” “Translations,” “Book Reviews,” and “Interviews” sections. For the “Dossier” section, the journal issues between two and four calls for papers annually, with submission dates and requirements announced in the Announcements section.
To ensure compliance with its editorial schedule, the journal establishes specific timelines for each stage of the review and publication process. Accordingly, authors are notified in a timely manner of manuscript receipt, peer review outcomes, and any required revisions.
3. Section Policies
Iuris Dictio has five sections: dossier, miscellaneous, reviews, interviews, and translations.
Articles for the dossier and miscellaneous sections may be submitted by researchers affiliated with academic institutions or by independent researchers. We accept innovative, pertinent, and relevant topics that contribute to the complex contemporary legal landscape. For interviews, reviews, and translations, we accept texts that are relevant, respectful, and consistent with the journal’s academic tone.
3.1. Dossier
This section aims to bring together a collection of academic articles focused on a specific area of law, with contributions that offer an original perspective. The Dossier section is coordinated by a specialist in the field.
Articles submitted for the special issue are received through a previously announced call for papers, which remains open for six months. During this period, interested authors may submit their manuscripts. Following the completion of the double-blind peer review process, accepted articles will be published within a maximum of six months from the date of acceptance.
Manuscripts submitted to the journal may fall into one of the following categories: (a) theoretical or doctrinal analyses; (b) analyses of national or international legal frameworks; (c) case law commentaries; and (d) comparative legal analyses.
All articles must comply with the criteria listed in the Author Guidelines tab and adhere to the Publication Guidelines. Furthermore, all submitted articles must be unpublished and may not be under review by any other publication. We accept submissions from researchers holding a master’s or doctoral degree or with more than five years of legal practice. Each article must be between 20.000 and 40.000 characters in length (excluding spaces).
Articles submitted to the Dossier section will be published only if they successfully complete the double-blind peer review process and their authors incorporate all required revisions. Each journal issue may include a maximum of two dossiers, which will be identified using Roman numerals.
3.2. Miscellaneous
This section aims to publish scholarly articles covering a wide range of legal fields, provided they align with the journal’s focus and scope. Submissions may include doctrinal articles, legislative analyses, case law commentaries on a variety of topics, and comparative legal studies. All manuscripts must include relevant academic references directly related to the subject matter addressed.
Any articles that do not comply with the journal’s Publication Guidelines and Author Guidelines will be excluded from the review process. Articles submitted to this section must be original and may not be under review by any other publication. We accept submissions from researchers holding a master’s or doctoral degree or with more than five years of legal practice. Each article must be between 20.000 and 40.000 characters in length (excluding spaces).
Articles for the Miscellaneous section will only be published if they pass the double-blind peer review process and the required corrections are made.
3.3. Reviews
This section is dedicated to publishing reviews of recent books in the field of law. Books selected for review must have been published no more than two years before the publication year of the corresponding journal issue. Book reviews must be original, previously unpublished, and must not exceed 18.000 characters.
Manuscripts submitted to this section are not subject to the double-blind peer review process. Decisions regarding their acceptance and publication rest solely with the journal's Editorial team.
3.4. Interviews
This section aims to feature unpublished interviews with legal scholars or specialists from other disciplines who, although not from the field of law, contribute to the complex legal landscape of the contemporary world.
The Interviews section aims to make the technical complexity of law accessible to a broader and more diverse audience. The length of submissions should not exceed 25,000 characters.
Manuscripts submitted to this section are not subject to the double-blind peer review process. Decisions regarding their acceptance and publication will be made by the journal’s Editorial team.
3.5. Translations
This section aims to make articles originally published in other languages available in Spanish or English.
For an article to be republished, it must be relevant to the study of law and adhere to the journal’s Author Guidelines, even if the original article was written using a different citation style. Submissions to this section do not require double-blind peer review, and the editorial team will decide on their publication.
The translator must obtain express authorization from the author of the original work, as well as from the institution where the article was first published. The translation must not exceed 40.000 characters.
4. Roles and Responsibilities of the Editorial Team
The editorial structure of Iuris Dictio comprises the following roles and bodies, whose responsibilities contribute to the journal’s academic quality and operations:
Editor-in-Chief: leads the Editorial Board and editorial team, defines the journal’s editorial direction and strategic priorities, and assumes overall responsibility for its scholarly and editorial quality. Oversees the review, editing, and publication processes, represents the journal institutionally, and approves the final version of each issue.
Editorial Coordinator: manages communication with authors, reviewers, and readers, as well as the technical aspects of the OJS platform. Coordinates editorial production, from manuscript submission to publication, without participating in decisions regarding manuscript content or acceptance.
Editorial Board: composed of legal scholars, contributes to decisions that guide the journal’s development in accordance with its policies and the guidelines of the School of Law at USFQ. Promotes the journal and encourages the participation of reviewers, interviewees, and dossier coordinators.
Scientific Advisory Board: composed of legal scholars with distinguished academic and professional backgrounds, provides academic support and advice to contribute to the publication’s quality and scholarly rigor.
Editorial Assistants: students from the School of Law at USFQ who assist with tasks appropriate to their training, such as developing databases, organizing events, and reading texts. Their participation is part of the journal’s educational mission and fosters the development of editorial and research skills.
5. Open Access and No-Fee Policy
Iuris Dictio is an open-access academic journal that does not charge fees for manuscript submission, processing, peer review, or publication. All published content is freely accessible without subscription or prior registration.
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), which permits users to share and adapt the content, provided that appropriate credit is given, the material is not used for commercial purposes, and any derivative works are distributed under the same license.
The journal uses Open Journal Systems (OJS) to manage its editorial processes, promoting transparency, manuscript tracking, and the open dissemination of legal scholarship. Through this policy, Iuris Dictio reaffirms its commitment to academic exchange, equitable access to knowledge, and the advancement of critical thinking.
6. Editorial Process Timeline
Iuris Dictio has an average publication timeline of six months for manuscripts submitted through its editorial platform, provided they comply with the journal’s submission guidelines and requirements.
This period encompasses the various stages of the editorial process, as applicable to each type of contribution: double-blind peer review, editorial decision, incorporation of requested revisions, copyediting, typesetting, and final proof review by the authors.
Meeting these deadlines requires the active and timely cooperation of both authors and reviewers. Reviewers are expected to submit their evaluations within the established timeframes, while authors must address the feedback received and submit revised versions of their manuscripts promptly. This shared responsibility is essential to maintaining academic quality, ensuring an efficient editorial process, and meeting the journal’s publication schedule.
id="seccion-7">7. Publisher and funding
USFQ Press is the publishing house responsible for the publication of Iuris Dictio, while the College of Jurisprudence at Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ serves as the academic unit that promotes and supports the journal’s development.
All costs associated with the editorial and publication processes are fully covered by USFQ Press and the College of Jurisprudence at USFQ. Accordingly, the journal does not charge fees for manuscript submission, processing, peer review, or publication, including Article Processing Charges (APCs).
As publication is entirely free of charge for authors, Iuris Dictio does not offer fee waiver or reduction programs.
8. Advertising Policy
Iuris Dictio is an open-access academic journal that does not include advertisements or commercial or promotional content in its publications. This policy reflects the journal’s commitment to editorial independence, academic integrity, and the dissemination of legal scholarship free from commercial interests.
9. Interoperability, Dissemination, and Self-Archiving Policy
Iuris Dictio is digitally backed up on Archive.org, where articles are individually stored and preserved in PDF format. Additionally, the journal uses the PKP Preservation Network (PN), a digital preservation service for journals operating under Open Journal Systems (OJS). This ensures the secure archiving and long-term preservation of published articles.
Authors are encouraged to deposit their published articles in institutional repositories or on personal websites to maximize their visibility and reach. It is recommended to always use the final version edited and published by the journal.
Publication metadata is available via the OAI-PMH 2.0 protocol.