diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vedit/validator/ValidationObject.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vedit/validator/ValidationObject.java
index addd2562b..40af12617 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vedit/validator/ValidationObject.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vedit/validator/ValidationObject.java
@@ -2,7 +2,33 @@
 
 package edu.cornell.mannlib.vedit.validator;
 
-public class ValidationObject {
+/**
+ * Output from a {@link Validator}. Holds the value that was tested, whether it
+ * was valid or not, and an optional message.
+ */
+public class ValidationObject {
+	/**
+	 * Create an instance that indicates successful validation.
+	 */
+	public static ValidationObject success(Object validatedObject) {
+		ValidationObject vo = new ValidationObject();
+		vo.setValid(true);
+		vo.setMessage("");
+		vo.setValidatedObject(validatedObject);
+		return vo;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create an instance that indicates failed validation.
+	 */
+	public static ValidationObject failure(Object validatedObject,
+			String message) {
+		ValidationObject vo = new ValidationObject();
+		vo.setValid(false);
+		vo.setMessage(message);
+		vo.setValidatedObject(validatedObject);
+		return vo;
+	}
 
     private boolean valid = false;
     private String message;