Privilege

A privilege is a personal benefit and dies with the person.

Privilegium est beneficium personale, et moritur cum persona.

Source: 3 Bulstr. 8; Weisman, 12a

Unlike rights, which are inherent and perpetual, privileges are grants that attach to the individual — they do not pass to heirs or successors.

A privilege avails not against the commonwealth.

Privilegium non valet contra rempublicam.

Source: Bacon, Max. 25; Broom, Max. 17; Noy Max. 34; Weisman, 12c

No private privilege can override the public interest — the rights of the People as a body always prevail over grants to individuals.

Every man has liberty to renounce those privileges which have been conferred for his benefit.

Cuilibet licet renuntiare juri pro se introducto.

Source: Code 1, 3, 51; Code 2, 3, 29

A man may freely waive a personal privilege — but he cannot waive a right that belongs to the People, because it is not his alone to surrender.

A privilege is, as it were, a private law.

Privilegium est quasi privata lex.

Source: 2 Bulstr. 189; Weisman, 12h

Privileges create exceptions to general law for specific persons — and because they are exceptions, they are to be construed strictly, never expanded beyond their terms.