Note: if you are beginning the exploration of your topic, then start with the summary resources discussed in the guide  Law: Research Effectively with Secondary Sources.

To locate the legal information you need using these resources, you must first understand the types of law,  how they are made, who is responsible for those laws. 

Generally, laws can be grouped into 4 areas:

• Constitutional law -- the fundamental law that sets out how a government is organized, the powers and relationships of various branches of government, and the fundamental rights of citizens.
• Statutory Law -- the laws as passed by a legislative body
• Regulatory or Administrative Law -- rules and regulations, generally developed by executive and administrative bodies, to enforce statutes. 
• Case Law -- Legal principles in the opinions rendered by an appellate court or administrative court (e.g. the National Labor R.

You also need to understand how jurisdictions influence the publication of law materials and the concept of precedence.

• Jurisdiction -- the area (geographic, federal or state) over which a court, agency, or legislature has authority
• Precedent --a court decision which serves as the basis and authority for subsequent decisions

Note: A law review journal is a journal typically published by students at a law school or a bar association. Often these are reviews of legal cases and a discussion of legal issues and are not considered empirical research. They will often be used by lawyers to discover relevant cases for their client's case.