Difference between Reportable Judgement and Non-Reportable Judgement

Reportable Judgement and Non Reportable Judgement

In the legal system, the terms reportable judgments and non reportable judgments usually relate to which specific judgments should be published and made available as examples for future cases. The distinction between these two categories of judgments lies in their impact on the development of legal principles and the guidance they provide to other courts and legal professionals.

What is Reportable Judgments ?

Courts consider Reportable judgments significant and important for establishing or clarifying legal principles. These judgments set new precedents or contribute significantly to the interpretation of existing laws. When a judgment is labelled as reportable.

This implies that legal professionals, researchers, and the public should publish it in legal databases, law reports, and other sources to make it accessible.. These judgments have a broader impact beyond the specific case they address and serve as a guide for similar cases in the future.

What is Non Reportable Judgments ?

On the other hand, the court considers non reportable judgements as less significant or having limited relevance to broader legal principles.

These judgements might deal:-

Routine matters
Minor procedural issues, use in where Cases legal principles are already well established.

While they hold legal validity and importance for the parties involved in the case at hand. They do not carry the same weight as reportable judgments when it comes to shaping future legal interpretations.

The distinction between Reportable and Non Reportable judgments serves several purposes-

Precedent	Legal precedents established by reportable judgments guide the decisions of lower courts in similar cases. They contribute to the consistency and predictability of the legal system.
Legal Development	Reportable Judgments play a role in the development of law by addressing novel legal issues or providing fresh interpretations of existing laws
Transparency	Making Reportable Judgments accessible to legal professionals. Moreover the public ensures transparency in the legal system and helps in understanding the reasoning behind important decisions.
Efficiency	Non Reportable Judgments allow courts to efficiently handle routine cases without creating unnecessary legal precedent.
Focus on Important Issues	Distinguishing between Reportable and Non-Reportable Judgments helps the legal system prioritize cases of greater importance.

Deciding whether judgments are Reportable or Non-Reportable can differ among jurisdictions and courts. Some courts follow clear rules, while others leave it to the judges’ judgment.

Importance Point

Reported cases are officially document
Reported cases are published in legal reports.
A reportable judgement issued by the Supreme Court compels all lower courts to comply with its rulings.
these cases involve crucial points of law or in-depth examinations of important legal issues.
when a legal point revolves around a specific case or when a case thoroughly explores significant legal principles. it becomes more probable for it to be reported.
Reported decisions hold greater value compared to unreported decisions.
They are often cited as authoritative sources in legal research, scholarly work and court proceedings.
When citing cases in assignments or presenting arguments in court.
It is recommended to reference the reported versions of cases whenever available.
These reported versions undergo editorial review and are checked for accuracy, making them more reliable compared to unreported versions.
To access the reported versions of these decisions than you might need to use paid databases. It is also essential to compare the reported and unreported versions of a case as even small differences can have legal significance.
reported versions are carefully edited and reviewed, ensuring that they accurately represent the legal issues discussed in the case.
In summary reported cases are those deemed important enough to warrant official documentation and publication due to their impact on legal principles. They hold more weight in legal research and proceedings compared to unreported cases and it is advisable to cite reported versions when available.
Reportable judgements help maintain consistency in how the law is understood, The Reportable judgement of Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala core framework of the Constitution cannot be changed. Many later cases haveused this judgement to support the basic structure doctrine.

Conclusion

By maintaining consistency in legal interpretation and application Reportable judgements serve as a crucial source of guidance for upcoming cases. Reportable judgments significant and important for establishing or clarifying legal principles. The recognition of their importance within the framework of the Indian Constitution underscores their role in shaping legal precedent. The judiciary must issue reportable judgments to ensure fairness and consistency in delivering justice.

Advocate Birbal Sharma

Education- M.Com, LL.B, DLL, LLM Practice Courts - Rajasthan High Court, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and Intellectual Property Right Attorney Contact Number- 09785037216 Email ID-advocatebirbalsharma@gmail.com