Free lesson · Knowledge · 5 min
Sources of law in plain English
Lesson 6 of 12 in AI Legal Research Foundations
The one idea
Legal sources are not all the same. A Constitution, Act, regulation, by-law, court rule, judgment, regulator guidance, contract, workplace policy, and law-firm article do different jobs.
Primary sources are the law or official authority itself: legislation, regulations, court rules, judgments, regulator decisions, and official notices. Secondary sources explain or comment on law. They are useful leads, not proof.
AI can help explain a source, but you still need to know what kind of source it is.
{"last_reviewed":"2026-06-16","jurisdiction":"South Africa unless stated otherwise","legal_advice":false,"requires_primary_source_verification":true,"requires_lawyer_review_for_topic_specific_claims":true}
Your win today
Separate primary sources from explanations.
Sources