Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine

The Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine provides a forum for the rapid publication of topical articles on all clinical aspects of forensic medicine and closely related specialities. The Journal carries definitive reviews, original communications, hypotheses, learning points of important issues, offering critical analysis and scientific appraisal. All submissions are peer-reviewed by at least two independent reviewers, and the Journal is listed in MEDLINE/Index Medicus.

The recent increase in the volume of articles submitted in 2019/20 means the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine has the second highest submission rate in the Elsevier family of forensic journals after Forensic Science International. We are proud that submissions are from a breadth of geographical areas, and although both citations and downloads are increasing the Editor has decreased the time taken to make decisions and get work published online.

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All aspects of the medical principles of care and forensic assessment of individuals in contact with the judicial system are examined and the journal has a broad international perspective.

Topics covered in the journal include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following, particularly within the clinical setting:

Forensic medicine training, forensic medicine national systems
Healthcare in police and prison custody, death in custody and restraint injuries
Death investigation and causes of death
Suicide, para-suicide and deliberate self-harm
Child abuse and neglect
Interpersonal violence, assault and injury, personal injury, elder abuse, domestic violence
Sexual assault
Human rights when involving refugee and asylum medicine
Traffic and transportation medicine
Drug and alcohol misuse, drink and drug driving
Medical law and medical negligence

Volume/Issue Projected Mail Dates

109/C 31 Jan 2025

110/C 26 Feb 2025

111/C 01 Apr 2025

104/C 07 May 2025

Child abuse and neglect
Interpersonal violence, assault and injury, personal injury, elder abuse, domestic violence
Sexual assault
Suicide, parasuicide, and deliberate self-harm
Restraint injuries
Drug and alcohol misuse, drink and drug driving
Traffic medicine, transportation medicine, refugee and asylum medicine
Medical law and medical negligence
Mass disaster
Torture
Extra-judicial deaths
Human rights

113/C 03 Jul 2025

114/C 29 Aug 2025

115/C 23 Oct 2025

116/C 01 Dec 2025

Meet the Editor-in-Chief

Professor Wilma Duijst

Professor Wilma Duijst has a PhD in law and is an MD and lawyer, who has working in the field of paediatrics (hospital and youth health care).

Professor Duijst is currently working as a forensic physician and is also a professor in forensic medicine and criminal (and health) law.

Professor Duijst has been a judge working in criminal law for 15 years. She is also a member of the advisory board of closed criminal cases of the supreme court.

Wilma Duijst, can receive your queries via emailing forensic.medicine@fflm.ac.uk.

Senior Editor

Dr Maria Nittis, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Australia

Associate Editors

Wendy Birch, University of College London, UK

René Gapert, Human Remains Services Ireland, Republic of Ireland