Primary authority are the rules of law and are binding upon the courts, government, and individuals.
Examples, are statutes, regulations, court orders, and court decisions. They are generated by legislatures, courts, and administrative agencies. Secondary authority is commentary on the law that does not have binding effect but aids in explaining what the law is or should be. The resources available to find legal authority are vast and complicated leading many law schools to require students to take a class in legal research. See Legal Education.