WHEN the prospectus for TIME " was written more than 40 years ago, the founders stated their intention to make sense out of news about law. Since then, law has been the subject of many stories in various sections of the magazine. But for years the editors have pondered and debated the possibility of a separate department on the subject (and actually ran one on an experimental basis for a few weeks back in 1937). This week we launch as a regular part of TIME a section on The Law.

It will aim to scrutinize, report on, explain and interpret the many aspects of law in the modern world. It will deal with court decisions, new legislation ranging from local ordinances to acts of Congress, opinions of jurists and lawyers, personalities in the profession, and even quirks. The first section this week offers a sample of the range, with stories on how the U.S. Supreme Court works and the principal issues it will consider this year, on the president of the American Bar Association, and on the Gideon decision in Florida involving the right to counsel.

Writer of the new section is Associate Editor William Bowen, a graduate of Princeton (Phi Beta Kappa, '48) and holder of a master's degree in history from the Yale Graduate School, who has been a TIME staffer since 1949. Working with him will be Researcher Karen Burger Booth. Both move to The Law from The Nation, where both handled many stories dealing with intricate aspects of law. Senior editor of the section is Richard Seamon, a Yalesman ('40) who once attended Columbia Law School for a short time but does not offer that as a qualification for the job. All will approach their assignments as journalists informed in their subject, not as technical experts, and will have--in addition to guidance from many sources--the advice of a special legal consultant.

As is the case with all other sections of TIME, The Law will call on the resources of correspondents all over the world. When correspondents last week began telling their sources about the new section, they found the legal profession, universities and institutions warmly interested in cooperating to further an understanding of the law. Washington Correspondent Simmons Fentress, working on this week's story on the U.S. Supreme Court, found the same spirit among the Justices, who were "delighted with the idea."

Behind the idea is the realization that as modern civilization has become more complicated, law has begun to pervade every aspect in the lives of men, organizations and nations. More and more it has become clear that the rule of law is the most viable hope not only for peace in the world but for sensible solution of less-than-global problems. TIME'S chief aim is to interest and inform readers, and thereby bring about a better understanding of the law and enhance its effect as a force for a better life for mankind.

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