The difference between reportable &non-reportable judgments

This query is : Resolved

Querist : Anonymous

Querist : Anonymous (Querist)

18 December 2013 Dear Experts,

Often, in the judgments delivered by High COurts and Supreme Court, some are categorized as "reportable" whereas some are categorized as "non-reportable".

Can any one explain the difference between there two.

1.What will be implication of a "non-reportable" judgment?

2. Whether such judgments has got any precedence value?

3. What is the authority under which the judgments are categorized?

Aashok Kumar Sharma

Aashok Kumar Sharma (Expert)
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02 August 2025 Great question! Here’s a clear explanation about **reportable** and **non-reportable** judgments:

---

### 1. What is the difference between Reportable and Non-Reportable Judgments?

* **Reportable Judgments:**

* These are judgments that the court **authorizes to be published** in official law reports or law journals.
* Usually, such judgments contain important legal principles, interpretations, or clarifications.
* They are intended to serve as **precedents** and guide future cases.

* **Non-Reportable Judgments:**

* These are judgments that **the court does not permit to be published** officially.
* Typically, they may deal with routine, procedural, or fact-specific issues without laying down broad legal principles.
* They are **not included** in official law reports.

---

### 2. Implication of a Non-Reportable Judgment

* Such judgments **do not appear in official law reports**, so they are not widely accessible.
* They are usually considered **not binding precedent** because they may lack general legal principles or are too case-specific.
* However, they **may still be persuasive** or referred to in court, depending on the context and the reasoning.

---

### 3. Precedence Value of Non-Reportable Judgments

* Generally, **non-reportable judgments have little or no binding precedent value**.
* They are not regarded as authoritative or significant for establishing legal principles.
* However, lawyers or judges may still refer to them in some cases as persuasive if they find the reasoning helpful.

---

### 4. Authority for Categorizing Judgments

* The **court itself decides** whether a judgment is reportable or non-reportable.
* The decision is usually based on factors like:

* Whether the judgment deals with **substantial questions of law**.
* The **importance** or **novelty** of the legal issues decided.
* Whether the judgment is **routine** or **fact-specific**.
* Sometimes, the **Registrar or Law Reporting Committee** of the court also plays a role in selecting reportable judgments.

---

### Summary

| Aspect | Reportable Judgment | Non-Reportable Judgment |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Publication | Officially published in law reports | Not published officially |
| Legal importance | Contains important legal principles | Usually routine or fact-specific decisions |
| Precedent value | Binding precedent | Usually no binding value |
| Accessibility | Widely accessible | Limited accessibility |
| Decided by | Court and Law Reporting Committee | Court's discretion |

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If you want, I can also share some examples or cases illustrating this distinction! Would you like that?

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