In its broadest sense, legal research includes each step of a course of action that begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and concludes with the application and communication of the results of the investigation.
A variety of commercial services offer free tools to conduct legal research as well.
[5] Commercial services for legal research include both primary and secondary sources.
As of 2010, commercial legal research tools in the United States generated an estimated $8 billion in revenues per year.
[6] Some governments also provide access to certain resources through paid databases, such as the United States PACER law system.