Legal Authority
An Introduction

Determine whether the following forms of authority are primary or secondary.
(Use no capital letters)
1. United States Constitution 1.
2. Administrative Rule 2.
3. Miranda v. Arizona 3.
4. Cyclopedia of Medical Law 4.
5. Black's Law Dictionary 5.
6. 38 U.S.C. §1130 (Federal statute) 6.
7. A legal encyclopedia 7.

               Score =

  

Correct answers:
 
AUTHORITY . . . Why is it important for paralegals to understand authority? An attorney often delegates tasks such as research and writing to a paralegal. When researching, or preparing a legal document such as a memorandum of law, a paralegal needs to be able to identify what kind of authority is being relied upon, and which authorities will carry the most weight with the court.