Appeals Policy
Last updated: 05/05/2026
Pensar – Revista de Ciências Jurídicas recognises the right of authors to appeal editorial decisions on their manuscripts. This policy sets out the procedures for submitting and assessing requests for review of editorial decisions, in line with the flowcharts and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1. When an appeal is admissible
Authors may submit a formal request for review when they believe that the editorial decision on the manuscript (desk rejection, rejection after peer review, or a request for revisions deemed inappropriate) involves:
- a) factual or methodological error in the reviewers’ assessments;
- b) possible undeclared conflict of interest on the part of reviewer(s) or editor(s);
- c) assessment manifestly inconsistent with the journal’s aims and scope, editorial guidelines, or the relevant scholarly literature;
- d) procedural failure in the peer-review process.
Appeals based merely on subjective disagreement with the academic merit of the assessment are not admissible, except in the cases above.
2. How to submit an appeal
The request must be sent by e-mail to the editorial team within 30 (thirty) days of the communication of the decision and must include:
- a) full identification of the authors and title of the manuscript;
- b) a copy of the editorial decision and the reviewers’ reports;
- c) reasoned, point-by-point arguments, indicating the specific passages of the reports or the decision being challenged;
- d) where applicable, supporting documentation or bibliographic references substantiating the arguments.
E-mail address: revistapensar@unifor.br
3. Review procedure
The appeal will be assessed initially by the Editor-in-Chief. When the case involves the direct action of the Editor-in-Chief in the original decision, or when there is suspicion of a conflict of interest, the request will be referred to an Associate Editor or to the Higher Council of Editorship of the University of Fortaleza (Conselho Superior de Editoração — CSE/UNIFOR), so as to ensure impartiality in the analysis.
The journal may, at its discretion:
- a) uphold the original decision;
- b) request a new round of peer review with different reviewers;
- c) reverse the original decision in whole or in part.
The journal will communicate the decision on the appeal within 60 (sixty) days from the receipt of the complete request. The decision rendered upon appeal is final within Pensar.
4. Subsequent steps
Should the author remain dissatisfied after the final decision on appeal, they may file a formal complaint under the procedure described in the Complaints Policy or, as a last resort, refer the case to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
5. Contact
Editor-in-Chief: Sidney Soares Filho
E-mail: revistapensar@unifor.br
