Any non-law that the court can rely on in reaching a decision is a?

A non-law that the court can rely on in reaching a decision is considered secondary authority. Secondary authority refers to legal resources that interpret, analyze, or summarize the law, rather than establish it directly. This includes legal commentaries, treatises, and articles that provide insight into legal principles, but do not create binding legal rules themselves. Courts often rely on secondary sources to understand the context or implications of laws, especially when primary sources are ambiguous or outdated.

In contrast, primary sources consist of laws and legal documents like statutes, regulations, and case law, which are the authoritative texts that govern legal decisions. Legal precedent refers specifically to previously decided cases that establish a rule or principle that must be followed in future cases, rather than non-binding interpretations. Statutory law refers to laws enacted by legislative bodies and is also a primary source. Hence, the correct classification as secondary authority reflects its role in providing guidance and context in legal reasoning without being a direct source of law itself.