BOOK ON BEYOND THE BENCH: ADR AS LIVING JUSTICE

International Journal of Legal Affairs and Exploration & Juris Cognita International Publications are accepting Chapters for a book on Beyond the Bench: ADR as Living Justice, submit Abstracts by 02nd June, 2026, No publication fee.

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Beyond the Bench: ADR as Living Justice” explores how Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is reshaping the pursuit of justice in the 21st century. Moving away from the rigid adversarial model, ADR emphasizes dialogue, collaboration, and consensus, offering pathways that are faster, more inclusive, and often more humane.

This book brings together diverse perspectives to examine ADR’s foundations, its statutory and judicial frameworks, and its application across fields such as commerce, family law, intellectual property, environment, and digital disputes. It highlights how ADR bridges formal and informal justice systems, making dispute resolution more accessible and effective.

Beyond practice, the volume engages with critical debates on ethics, neutrality, inclusivity, and fairness. It also looks ahead to the future of ADR, exploring the role of technology, online dispute resolution, and artificial intelligence in transforming how conflicts are managed globally.

Designed for academics, practitioners, policymakers, and students, Beyond the Bench positions ADR not just as an alternative, but as a catalyst for sustainable justice, social harmony, and global cooperation.

THEMES AND SUB-THEMES

Transforming Justice Through ADR.

SUB-THEMES

Including but not limiting to:

Philosophical and Historical Foundations of ADR

Evolution of ADR in India and comparative jurisdictions
ADR as a constitutional value: access to justice and Article 39A
Consensus vs. adversarial justice: philosophical underpinnings
ADR and the transformation of dispute culture

Arbitration: The Cornerstone of ADR

Institutional vs. ad hoc arbitration: efficiency and credibility
Enforcement of domestic and foreign awards under the New York Convention
Emergency arbitration and interim measures
Judicial intervention: limits and safeguards
Costs, delays, and reforms in arbitral practice

Mediation and Conciliation: Building Consensus

Statutory recognition and framework in India
Ethics, neutrality, and confidentiality of mediators
Mediation in family, commercial, and workplace disputes
Court-annexed mediation vs. private mediation
Enforceability of mediated settlement agreements

Negotiation: The Art and Science of Dialogue

Negotiation strategies and techniques
Cultural influences and cross-border negotiation styles
Power dynamics and imbalance in negotiations
Collective bargaining and labor negotiations
Psychological dimensions: persuasion, trust, and bias

Community Justice and Informal ADR

Lok Adalats: grassroots justice and accessibility
Panchayati Raj institutions and traditional dispute resolution
ADR for marginalized and rural communities
Restorative justice and hybrid models blending tradition with modernity

ADR in Specialized Domains

Commercial contracts and corporate governance disputes
Intellectual property disputes (patents, trademarks, copyright)
Environmental and climate-related conflicts
Consumer protection and e-commerce disputes
ADR in sports, entertainment, and healthcare sectors

ADR and Procedural Law: Bridging Formal and Informal Justice

Section 89 CPC and judicial referrals to ADR
ADR in criminal justice: plea bargaining and restorative justice
Interface with Evidence Act: confidentiality and admissibility
ADR and limitation laws
ADR in administrative and regulatory disputes

Judicial and Legislative Developments

Landmark Supreme Court and High Court judgments shaping ADR
Amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act
Judicial promotion of mediation culture
Law Commission reports and policy initiatives

Global Perspectives on ADR

Cross-border arbitration and enforcement challenges
UNCITRAL Model Law and harmonization of ADR practices
ADR in international trade and investment disputes
Comparative ADR practices in the US, UK, Singapore, EU
ADR in WTO and other international organizations

Critical Perspectives and Challenges

Neutrality, bias, and ethics in ADR processes
Accessibility and affordability concerns
ADR and inclusivity: gender, marginalized communities
Confidentiality vs. transparency debates
ADR as “second-class justice” vs. efficiency arguments

The Future of ADR: Technology and Innovation

Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platforms
AI and technology in mediation and arbitration
ADR in digital commerce and cyber disputes
Blockchain and smart contracts in ADR
ADR in the metaverse and virtual environments

Policy, Education, and Practice

ADR in legal education and curriculum development
Role of bar associations and law firms in promoting ADR
ADR policy frameworks in India and abroad
Capacity-building and skill development for ADR professionals
ADR clinics in law schools and experiential learning
Public awareness campaigns and ADR literacy

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The Manuscript should not exceed a 3500-word limit.
The abstract should be initially submitted with a word limit of 250-300 words.
Author(s) should not mention their personal details at any place in the Abstract. Personal Details and Institutional Affiliations should be mentioned in a separate cover letter.
All headings in the manuscripts should be properly formatted.
The main body text in the manuscript must be in Times New Roman in a font size of 12, 1.5 line spacing, and in justified alignment. For footnotes, maintain Times New Roman Style with a font size of 10 and 1.0 line spacing. For Headings, Times New Roman style must be followed with a font size of 14 and must be Bold and Underlined.
Footnotes should conform to JILI Citation Format.
Abstracts are to be submitted in .doc. No other format would be accepted.
A maximum of 3 authors is allowed.
Plagiarism of more than 20% shall not be acceptable by any means. The Manuscript should also be free from grammatical, spelling, and other errors.
Authors are required to initially submit the abstract only. Upon acceptance of the abstract, the authors shall be required to submit the Full Manuscript.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Authors should email their original and unpublished abstract in.doc or.docx format.
“Name of the Author(s)_Title of the Abstract” shall be the subject line of the email.
Please enclose the cover letter along with the Abstract.
Submissions shall be made at: jcipadreditedbook@gmail.com

FORMAT

The book will be printed with ISBN Number

FEES

There is no publication or submission charge. However, authors must pay a little fee as determined by the publisher if they want to buy a hard copy of the book and certificate. Hard copies of the book can be purchased from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, and the Webstore of Juris Cognita Publications.

IMPORTANT DATES

Last date for submission of the Abstract: 02^nd June, 2026.
Notification of Acceptance/ Rejection of the Abstract: 03^rd June, 2026.
Last Date for the Submission of Full Manuscript: 23^rd June, 2026.
Notification of Acceptance/ Rejection of Full Manuscript: 25^th June, 2026

EDITORS

Dr. Shraddha Oberoi, Editor-In-Chief, Assistant Professor of Law, Senior Scale, UPES Dehradun.
Dr. Kumari Ranjana Bharti, Editor, Assistant Professor, School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi NCR.

PLAGIARISM EVALUATION

All submissions will be first checked for plagiarism using a turnitin software.
Only Submissions with less than 20% plagiarism shall be sent forward for publication. Authors may be required to make minor modifications to their submissions at this stage.
The submissions which pass the initial stage will be assigned to the Editors for further considerations and double blind peer review after requisite copy-editing.

EDITOR EVALUATION

The editors will evaluate the submission for its originality, conceptual and methodological consistency, as well as decide whether the submissions are within the aim and scope of the book. The Editors reserve the right to decide whether the submissions requires further review or not.

DOUBLE BLIND PEER REVIEW

Once the submissions are shortlisted by the Editors, they will be sent for double peer review. The peer review process being anonymous (blind), the name of the author shall be concealed. Each submission shall be reviewed by a referee, invited by International Journal of Legal Affairs and Exploration.

The reviewer shall evaluate the submission and submit the report on the basis of:

Relevance of the Topic
Clarity of Research
Quality of Papers in terms of originality- Content-Scholarly contribution
Quality of Paper Structure
Analysis, Argumentation and Language
Presentation and Referencing/ Footnoting

PUBLISHER

JURIS COGNITA INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

CONTACT

For any queries, reach out to us via email at: jcipadreditedbook@gmail.com or through WhatsApp at: +91-8252343482