Corruption of Blood
We can't be held accountable under the Tennessee Constitution for what others do:
Section 12 is of special interest, because the provision against what in common law is called "corruption of blood" is a much clearer provision than the similar clause of the federal Bill of Rights. In ancient English common law-the legal system on which our own is based-the corruption of blood meant that the family members of a criminal were seen to be held responsible for that person's crime. The children of a murderer or a thief were seen to be as corrupt as that person. The family of a convicted criminal often had to forfeit their inheritance because of their family member's crime, even though they are completely innocent. This clause of our State Constitution guarantees that someone's family can't be held responsible for their bad decisions, and children can't lose their inheritance because of the bad behavior of their parents that they could not control.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 5:26 PM
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