The Privilege of Peerage is the body of special privileges belonging to members of the British Peerage. It is distinct from Parliamentary privilege, which applies to those peers serving in the House of Lords, and members of the House of Commons, during and forty days before and after a Parliamentary session. The privileges have been lost and eroded over time. Only three survived into the 20th century: the right to be tried by other peers of the realm instead of juries of commoners, freedom from arrest in civil (but not criminal) cases, and access to the Sovereign to advise him or her on matters of state. The right to be tried by other peers was abolished in 1948. Legal opinion considers the right of freedom from arrest as obsolete. The remaining privilege was recommended for formal abolition in 1999, and may be retained, arguably, by peers whether members of the House of Lords or not. Peers have other rights that do not formally comprise the Privilege of Peerage. For example, they are entitled to use coronets and supporters on their achievements of arms.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privilege_of_Peerage

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1409:

In an attempt to end the Western Schism, during which Gregory XII in Rome and Benedict XIII in Avignon simultaneously claimed to be the true pope, the Council of Pisa instead ended up electing a third one, Alexander V. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schism

1541:

Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was assassinated in Lima by supporters of his rival Diego de Almagro's son. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro

1918:

World War I: The 26-day Battle of Belleau Wood near the Marne River in France ended with American forces finally clearing that forest of German troops. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood

1945:

At a conference in San Francisco, delegates from 50 nations signed a charter establishing the United Nations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_member_states%23Original_members

2003:

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, ruling that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms for private use in Washington, D.C., and other federal enclaves. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_v._Heller

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

reprobate (adj): 1. Rejected by God; damned, sinful. 2. Immoral, having no religious or principled character http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reprobate

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Heal the world, make it a better place,

For you and for me and the entire human race, There are people dying, but if you care enough for the living,

Make a better place for you and for me. --Michael Jackson http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson