17 July 2011

So that's where it came from . . .

From Virginia's Constitution of 1830:
Indictments shall conclude, Against the peace and dignity of the commonwealth.
I've seen that language in all sorts of indictments and always wondered where it came from.

And, just so nobody out there who is writing or approving indictments freaks out, it's not in the current constitution.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ken--it's ancient language derived from the first grand juries that met in in the 1100's. Their indictments read "against the peace and dignity of the King."