New Law Reports Sri Lanka (NLR) are Sri Lanka’s oldest and most authoritative published series of judicial decisions. Established in 1894, the NLR compiles landmark judgments from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and historically the Privy Council. For over 130 years, NLR has served judges, lawyers, academics, and students as a primary reference for Sri Lankan case law.

What Are the New Law Reports (NLR)?

The New Law Reports are an official series of Sri Lankan law reports containing carefully selected and edited judgments. Each case includes headnotes, legal issues, a summary of facts, the Court’s reasoning, and the final judgment.

The significance of New Law Reports Sri Lanka cannot be overstated, as it provides invaluable insights into legal precedents and the evolving landscape of Sri Lankan law.

NLR is widely regarded as the most authoritative case law source in Sri Lanka and is frequently cited in court pleadings and written submissions.

NLR Volumes Full List

History of the NLR

Colonial Era (1894–1948)

  • Introduced to formalize reporting of judicial decisions.
  • Included judgments from the Supreme Court of Ceylon and appeals to the Privy Council.
  • Created consistent legal references for lawyers and courts.

Post-Independence to Present

  • Continued as the official law reporting series for the superior courts.
  • Became the backbone of legal research in Sri Lanka.
  • Reports key precedents shaping constitutional, civil, criminal, and administrative law.

Modern Digital Access

Today, NLR is available digitally through Sri Lankan legal research platforms such as AIPazz and others, offering instant search and AI-powered analysis capabilities.

Courts Covered in the NLR

  • Supreme Court of Sri Lanka – final appellate and constitutional matters
  • Court of Appeal – civil and criminal appeals, writ applications
  • Privy Council Appeals (historical)

Why the NLR Is Important

  • Contains authoritative and high-value judgments.
  • Essential for legal research, drafting pleadings, and court submissions.
  • Ensures consistency across legal interpretations.
  • Supports academic and professional legal education.

Benefits of Digital NLR Access

  • Instant search by keywords, judges, citations, or topics.
  • AI-generated case summaries and headnotes.
  • Cross-reference with other case laws and statutes.
  • Historical archives accessible in seconds.

AIPazz offers online access to NLR with the following features:

  • AI-powered legal search
  • Citation extraction
  • Case summarization
  • Filters by court, year, judge, or topic

Conclusion

The New Law Reports (NLR) remain the backbone of Sri Lanka’s legal reporting system, offering over a century of authoritative case law. From colonial-era decisions to modern constitutional judgments, NLR continues to guide lawyers, judges, researchers, and students across the country. With digital platforms making these reports more accessible than ever, Sri Lankan legal research has entered a new era of efficiency and accuracy.

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