The Law Reports is the name of a series of law reports published by the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting. Pursuant to a practice direction given by Lord Judge during his tenure as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Law Reports are "the most authoritative reports" and should always be "cited in preference where there is a choice." This requirement is further referred to in respect of appeals to the Court of Appeal in paragraph 29(2) of Practice Direction 52C of the Civil Procedure Rules. This series is now divided into four main sub-series:

Series

The number and names of the series have changed. This is partly due to the merger of existing courts, the merger of existing divisions of individual courts, and the creation of new divisions of individual courts. Citation of series has also changed.

1865–1875

The Law Reports were originally divided into eleven series. Glanville Williams said that "roughly speaking" there was a series for each of the superior courts. The series were: These reports may be cited thus:

1875–1880

In 1875, the number of series was reduced to six. This was due to the creation of the High Court and a decision on the part of the publishers, to put the House of Lords, the Privy Council and the new Court of Appeal in the same volume, and to group Crown Cases Reserved and the Queen's Bench Division together. The series were: There was a change in the mode of citation. The abbreviation "LR" ceased to be used.

1881–1890

In 1881, the number of series was reduced to four. This is because the Common Pleas and Exchequer Divisions of the High Court were incorporated in the Queen's Bench Division of that court in 1880:

1891 onwards

There have continued to be four series during this period, but their names have changed from time to time. In 1891, there was a change in the mode of citation. Volumes published from 1891 onwards are cited by the year in which they were published and numbered according to the order of publication in that year, if more than one volume has been published in that year.