Primary Sources in Law
A primary source is a document or record containing firsthand information or original data on an event, object, person, or work of art. Primary sources are usually created by individuals who experienced the event and recorded or wrote about it. Because of this, primary sources usually reflect the viewpoint of the participant or observer.
In law, common primary sources include:
- Court cases
- Court proceedings
- Hearings
- Audio or video recordings
- Treaties
- Constitutions
- Legislation
- Regulation
- Court decisions (for example, those issued by judges)
Where to Find Primary Sources
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Hein OnlineHeinOnline is a premier online database containing more than 155 million pages and 200,000 titles of legal history and government documents in a fully searchable, image-based format. HeinOnline contains the entire Congressional Record, Federal Register, and Code of Federal Regulations, complete coverage of the U.S. Reports back to 1754, and entire databases dedicated to treaties, constitutions, case law, world trials, classic treatises, international trade, foreign relations, U.S. Presidents, and much more.
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Congressional RecordThe official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress
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OyezOyez is a project from Cornell’s Legal Information Institute (LII), Justia, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. It is a multimedia archive devoted to making the Supreme Court of the United States accessible to everyone. Oyez offers audio, case summaries, illustrated decision information, and full-text Supreme Court opinions.