The sources of English law The courts are the interpreter and declarers of the law, the 'source' of law are therefore the sources to which the courts turn in order to determine what it is Considered from the aspect of their sources, laws are traditionally divided into two main categories according to the solemnity of the form in which they are made. They may either be written or unwritten. These traditional terms are misleading because the expression written law signifies any law that is formally enacted, whether reduced to writing or not and the expression "unwritten law signifies all unenacted law