diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/BrokenPermission.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/BrokenPermission.java
index f03d6c344..1fc841537 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/BrokenPermission.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/BrokenPermission.java
@@ -8,38 +8,9 @@ import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.auth.requestedAction.ifaces.RequestedAct
  * This is what the PermissionRegistry hands out if you ask for a Permission
  * that it doesn't know about. Nothing is authorized by this Permission.
  */
-public class BrokenPermission implements Permission {
-	private final String uri;
-	private final String localName;
-	private final String namespace;
-
+public class BrokenPermission extends Permission {
 	public BrokenPermission(String uri) {
-		this.uri = uri;
-
-		int namespaceBreak = uri.lastIndexOf("#");
-		if (namespaceBreak == -1) {
-			namespaceBreak = uri.lastIndexOf("/");
-		}
-
-		int localNameStart = namespaceBreak + 1;
-
-		this.namespace = uri.substring(0, localNameStart);
-		this.localName = uri.substring(localNameStart);
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public String getUri() {
-		return uri;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public String getLocalName() {
-		return localName;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public String getNamespace() {
-		return namespace;
+		super(uri);
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/Permission.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/Permission.java
index 8089db2ec..c81bdd98c 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/Permission.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/Permission.java
@@ -8,47 +8,64 @@ import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.auth.requestedAction.ifaces.RequestedAct
  * Interface that describes a unit of authorization, or permission to perform
  * requested actions.
  */
-public interface Permission {
+public abstract class Permission implements Comparable<Permission> {
+	protected final String uri;
+
+	protected Permission(String uri) {
+		if (uri == null) {
+			throw new NullPointerException("uri may not be null.");
+		}
+		this.uri = uri;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Get the URI that identifies this Permission object.
 	 */
-	String getUri();
-
-	/**
-	 * Convenience method to get the localName portion of the URI.
-	 */
-	String getLocalName();
-
-	/**
-	 * Convenience method to get the namespace portion of the URI.
-	 */
-	String getNamespace();
+	public String getUri() {
+		return uri;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Is a user with this Permission authorized to perform this
 	 * RequestedAction?
 	 */
-	boolean isAuthorized(RequestedAction whatToAuth);
+	public abstract boolean isAuthorized(RequestedAction whatToAuth);
+
+	@Override
+	public int compareTo(Permission that) {
+		return this.uri.compareTo(that.uri);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+		if (obj == this) {
+			return true;
+		}
+		if (obj == null) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		if (!obj.getClass().equals(this.getClass())) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		Permission that = (Permission) obj;
+		return this.uri.equals(that.uri);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public int hashCode() {
+		return uri.hashCode();
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public String toString() {
+		return this.getClass().getSimpleName() + "['" + uri + "']";
+	}
 
 	/**
-	 * An implementation of Permission that authorizes nothing.
+	 * A concrete Permission instance that authorizes nothing.
 	 */
-	static Permission NOT_AUTHORIZED = new Permission() {
-
-		@Override
-		public String getUri() {
-			return "java:" + Permission.class.getName() + "#NOT_AUTHORIZED";
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public String getLocalName() {
-			return "NOT_AUTHORIZED";
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public String getNamespace() {
-			return "java:" + Permission.class.getName();
-		}
+	static Permission NOT_AUTHORIZED = new Permission("java:"
+			+ Permission.class.getName() + "#NOT_AUTHORIZED") {
 
 		@Override
 		public boolean isAuthorized(RequestedAction whatToAuth) {
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/SimplePermission.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/SimplePermission.java
index b8b1195a3..4c059b4b9 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/SimplePermission.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/permissions/SimplePermission.java
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import edu.cornell.mannlib.vitro.webapp.auth.requestedAction.ifaces.RequestedAct
  * A class of simple permissions. Each instance holds a RequestedAction, and
  * will only authorize that RequestedAction (or one with the same URI).
  */
-public class SimplePermission implements Permission {
+public class SimplePermission extends Permission {
 	private static final Log log = LogFactory.getLog(SimplePermission.class);
 
 	private static final String NAMESPACE = "java:"
@@ -88,18 +88,17 @@ public class SimplePermission implements Permission {
 	}
 
 	private final String localName;
-	private final String uri;
 	public final RequestedAction ACTION;
 	public final Actions ACTIONS;
 
 	public SimplePermission(String localName) {
+		super(NAMESPACE + localName);
+		
 		if (localName == null) {
 			throw new NullPointerException("name may not be null.");
 		}
 
 		this.localName = localName;
-		this.uri = NAMESPACE + localName;
-
 		this.ACTION = new SimpleRequestedAction(localName);
 		this.ACTIONS = new Actions(this.ACTION);
 
@@ -110,21 +109,14 @@ public class SimplePermission implements Permission {
 		allInstances.put(uri, this);
 	}
 
-	@Override
 	public String getLocalName() {
 		return this.localName;
 	}
 
-	@Override
 	public String getNamespace() {
 		return NAMESPACE;
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public String getUri() {
-		return NAMESPACE + this.localName;
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public boolean isAuthorized(RequestedAction whatToAuth) {
 		if (whatToAuth != null) {