Legal Definitions - new series

The term new series (often abbreviated as N.S., 2d, 3d, etc.) refers to a fresh start in the numbering sequence of a legal publication, such as a reporter of court decisions or a scholarly journal. This typically occurs when there is a significant change in the publication's format, scope, editorial policy, or publisher, necessitating a reset of the volume numbering, usually beginning again at "Volume 1." It helps readers and researchers distinguish between different iterations or eras of the same publication.

• Imagine the "Delaware Superior Court Reports" has been publishing decisions for over a century. The publisher decides to transition from print-only volumes to a primary digital format, along with a new system for selecting which opinions are included. To mark this significant shift, they announce that all subsequent volumes will be part of a New Series, starting with "Delaware Superior Court Reports, New Series, Volume 1." This clearly signals to legal professionals that decisions found in this new series adhere to the updated publication and formatting policies.

• A prominent academic publication, the "Journal of International Human Rights Law," after 30 volumes, undergoes a major redesign, shifts its editorial focus to include more comparative law analysis, and adopts a new, more rigorous peer-review process. To reflect these substantial changes, the editorial board decides to launch a New Series, with the next issue being "Journal of International Human Rights Law, New Series, Volume 1, Issue 1." This helps differentiate the content and editorial approach from the previous 30 volumes, indicating a distinct phase in the journal's history.

• Consider a hypothetical "Federal Bankruptcy Reporter," which collects decisions from bankruptcy courts across the United States. After publishing 500 volumes in its initial run, the publisher decides to update its citation style, improve its indexing, and integrate new digital research tools. Instead of continuing with volume 501, they launch a Second Series (often cited as F.Bankr.2d), resetting the volume count to "Volume 1." This allows for a clean break and improved organization for researchers, while still maintaining the continuity of the publication's core purpose.