Secondary legal sources are designed to comment on and explain the law found in primary sources -- cases and legislation. This commentary will help you apply cases and legislation effectively to the issues you are dealing with.
Searching for secondary sources is the first step in legal research. These sources are useful for putting the law into context, and often will lead you to relevant legislation and cases.
Secondary sources can include:
Books, Textbooks, treatises, casebooks, loose-leaf services
Articles (Journals and periodicals)
Legal encyclopedias and dictionaries
Other Sources
Government Documents
Websites
Reports
Legal Education materials and seminar papers
Law Wikis and Blogs
News Sources/ Newspapers
Listservs
Law Firm and Professional Associations Newsletters
Use the An Introduction to Legal Research guide to learn more about secondary sources in law and legal research.