Which of the following accurately explains the difference between primary sources and secondary sources, with an example of each?

• A. Primary sources are statements by government bodies, while secondary sources are unrelated commentaries.
• B. Primary sources are authoritative statements of legal rules by governmental bodies and include court opinions, constitutions, statutes, and rules of court; secondary sources are materials about the law that explain, interpret, develop, locate, or update primary sources (examples include law reviews, legislative histories, journal articles, newsletter articles, bench books, and procedure guides).
• C. Primary sources and secondary sources are the same.
• D. Primary sources are only statutes; secondary sources are only case summaries.

Answer: (B)

Primary sources are the actual legal authorities that establish or declare the law. They come from official bodies and are binding: court opinions, constitutions, statutes, and rules of court. Secondary sources analyze and explain primary sources, helping you understand, interpret, locate, and update them; they include law reviews, legislative histories, journal articles, newsletters, bench books, and procedure guides. The correct statement captures both parts clearly: primary sources are authoritative statements of legal rules by governmental bodies, and secondary sources are materials about the law that explain, interpret, develop, locate, or update primary sources. Other choices miss the mark by narrowing primary sources to government statements only, labeling secondary sources as unrelated, claiming there’s no difference, or restricting primary to statutes or secondary to case summaries only. This distinction is essential for legal research, showing where the rule comes from and how to apply it.