Michigan Journal of Health Law

Submission requirements

Submissions Open May 15, 2026

The Journal reviews submissions on a rolling basis during its active selection periods. Specific submission windows will also be announced on the Journal’s website.

Required files
Each submission should include:

• A manuscript suitable for review
• A redacted version of the manuscript prepared in accordance with the Journal’s partially blind-review policy
• A curriculum vitae for each author, preferably as a separate document

Blind review requirements
MJoHL uses a partially blind review process for Articles. Authors should submit a version of the manuscript with identifying information removed to the extent reasonably possible. This includes:

• Author name
• Institutional affiliation
• Acknowledgments
• Obvious self-identifying references in the text or footnotes, where appropriate

References to prior work should be handled in a way that preserves the integrity of the submission while minimizing unnecessary identification.

Empirical work
Authors submitting empirical work should be prepared, upon acceptance, to provide supporting materials reasonably necessary for the editorial process, including:

• Datasets
• Coding information
• Appendices
• Methodological explanations
• Other underlying materials not included in the manuscript

If data are publicly available elsewhere, the Journal may waive some or all of this requirement. In rare or specialized circumstances, such as the use of proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted data, authors should notify the Journal at the time of submission or as early as practicable.

Simultaneous submissions
Simultaneous submissions are permitted unless the Journal states otherwise. Authors should notify the Journal promptly if a submitted piece is accepted elsewhere or withdrawn from consideration.

Manuscript format and citations

Length
MJoHL prefers article-length scholarship that advances a clear, focused argument without unnecessary length. The Journal is currently most interested in pieces of approximately 25,000 words or fewer, including footnotes, though somewhat longer or shorter submissions may be considered where warranted by the subject matter and quality of the piece.

File format
Manuscripts should be submitted in an editable electronic format, such as Microsoft Word, unless otherwise specified by the Journal.

Footnotes
Citations should appear in footnotes rather than endnotes.

Citation style
Citations should conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (22nd ed. 2025).

Style and readability
Matters of prose, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and general style should conform, to the extent applicable, to the Journal’s internal style conventions and relevant usage principles reflected in The Chicago Manual of Style.

Authors need not attempt to match every aspect of final journal formatting before submission, but manuscripts should be professionally prepared, readable, and citation-ready.

Because MJoHL is a legal journal working at the intersection of multiple disciplines, authors should explain specialized scientific, clinical, technical, or institutional terminology with sufficient clarity for a legally trained readership that may not share the author’s domain-specific expertise. At the same time, authors should avoid unnecessary jargon, overstatement, or excessive background material that does not advance the piece’s core argument.

Sources and supporting material
Authors should ensure that quotations, citations, and source support are accurate and complete at the time of submission. Accepted pieces will be edited for citation conformity, style, and clarity, but responsibility for the substance and support of the work remains with the author.

Figures, tables, and appendices
If the manuscript includes charts, tables, figures, or appendices, those materials should be clearly labeled and integrated into the submission in a manner that permits editorial review. Authors should retain underlying source information for any nontextual material included in the piece.

Editorial and review process

MJoHL reviews Articles on a rolling basis during active review periods.

After submission, authors should receive confirmation through Scholastica or through the email address associated with the submission. If an author does not receive confirmation within a reasonable period, the author may contact the Journal using the submissions email address listed on the Journal’s website.

Submission through Scholastica does not guarantee publication. The Journal may decline to extend an offer even to strong submissions where a piece falls outside the Journal’s editorial needs, publication schedule, or substantive fit.

If a submission advances beyond initial screening, it may proceed through additional stages of editorial review under the Journal’s article-selection process. The Journal may request further information during review, including clarification regarding methodology, sources, or submission logistics.

Expedited Request Policy

Authors with time-sensitive submissions, including those subject to an expedite request, should notify the Journal as appropriate. The Journal will make reasonable efforts to respond within the constraints of its editorial calendar but cannot guarantee review on any particular timetable.

For questions regarding article submissions, please email mjohloffice@umich.edu