South Dakota Legal Research: Primary and Secondary Resources

This lesson will familiarize you with primary and secondary sources available in South Dakota. It covers South Dakota primary law including the South Dakota Constitution, statutes, legislative history, municipal codes, administrative law, and court decisions. The secondary sources section of the lesson provides a general overview of secondary sources and how you can use them in your research as well as coverage of South Dakota specific secondary sources.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the difference between a primary legal source and a secondary source.
2. Identify the different types of primary and secondary legal sources in South Dakota.
3. Identify when it is appropriate to use a specific primary or secondary legal source.
4. Choose the appropriate South Dakota primary and secondary legal source(s) for the legal issue(s) you are trying to address.