Law Reports

The Law Reports is the name of a series of law reports published by the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting.

Pursuant to a practice direction given by Lord Judge during his tenure as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Law Reports are "the most authoritative reports" and should always be "cited in preference where there is a choice."^[1] This requirement is further referred to in respect of appeals to the Court of Appeal in paragraph 29(2) of Practice Direction 52C of the Civil Procedure Rules.^[2]

This series is now divided into four main sub-series:

• Law Reports, Appeal Cases, covering decisions of the House of Lords (and, since 2009, the Supreme Court), the Privy Council and the Court of Appeal – started in 1866 as the Law Reports, English & Irish Appeals,^[3] renamed in 1875^[4] and redesigned in 1891;^[5]
• Law Reports, Chancery Division, covering decisions of the Chancery Division of the High Court – started in 1865 as the Law Reports, Chancery Appeal Cases,^[6] renamed in 1875^[7] and redesigned in 1890;^[8]
• Law Reports, Family Division, covering decisions of the Family Division of the High Court – started in 1865 as the Law Reports, Probate & Divorce Cases,^[9] renamed Law Reports, Probate, Divorce & Admiralty Division in 1875,^[10] renamed Law Reports, Probate in 1891^[11] and renamed in 1972;^[12] and
• Law Reports, Queen's Bench, covering decision of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court – started in 1865,^[13] renamed Law Reports, Queen's Bench Division in 1875, renamed in 1891,^[14] renamed Law Reports, King's Bench in 1901^[15] and renamed in 1952.^[14]