diff --git a/controllers/crud.js b/controllers/crud.js
index 8d88ef4..13bf51b 100644
--- a/controllers/crud.js
+++ b/controllers/crud.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { newID, isValidID, db } from '../database/client.js'
 import { configureWebAnnoHeadersFor, configureLDHeadersFor, configureLastModifiedHeader } from '../headers.js'
 import { configureRerumOptions } from '../versioning.js'
 import config from '../config/index.js'
-import { _contextid, idNegotiation, generateSlugId, ObjectID, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID } from './utils.js'
+import { _contextid, idNegotiation, generateSlugId, ObjectID, createError, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID } from './utils.js'
 
 /**
  * Create a new Linked Open Data object in RERUM v1.
@@ -74,11 +74,7 @@ const query = async function (req, res, next) {
     const skip = parseInt(req.query.skip ?? 0)
     if (Object.keys(props).length === 0) {
         //Hey now, don't ask for everything...this can happen by accident.  Don't allow it.
-        let err = {
-            message: "Detected empty JSON object.  You must provide at least one property in the /query request body JSON.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "Detected empty JSON object.  You must provide at least one property in the /query request body JSON.")))
         return
     }
     try {
@@ -115,11 +111,7 @@ const id = async function (req, res, next) {
             res.json(match)
             return
         }
-        let err = {
-            "message": `No RERUM object with id '${id}'`,
-            "status": 404
-        } 
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(404, `No RERUM object with id '${id}'`)))
     } catch (error) {
         next(createExpressError(error))
     }
diff --git a/controllers/delete.js b/controllers/delete.js
index bdbde7c..0ed8b75 100644
--- a/controllers/delete.js
+++ b/controllers/delete.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import { newID, isValidID, db } from '../database/client.js'
 import { isDeleted, isReleased, isGenerator } from '../predicates.js'
 import config from '../config/index.js'
-import { createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, getAllVersions, getAllDescendants } from './utils.js'
+import { createError, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, getAllVersions, getAllDescendants } from './utils.js'
 
 /**
  * Mark an object as deleted in the database.
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ import { createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, getAllVersions, get
  * */
 const deleteObj = async function(req, res, next) {
     let id
-    let err = { message: `` }
+    let errMessage = ""
+    let errStatus = 0
     try {
         id = req.params["_id"] ?? parseDocumentID(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(req.body))["@id"]) ?? parseDocumentID(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(req.body))["id"])
     } catch(error){
@@ -41,25 +42,19 @@ const deleteObj = async function(req, res, next) {
     if (null !== originalObject) {
         let safe_original = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(originalObject))
         if (isDeleted(safe_original)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to delete is already deleted. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to delete is already deleted. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         else if (isReleased(safe_original)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to delete is released. Fork to make changes. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to delete is released. Fork to make changes. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         else if (!isGenerator(safe_original, agentRequestingDelete)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `You are not the generating agent for this object and so are not authorized to delete it. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 401
-            })
+            errMessage = `You are not the generating agent for this object and so are not authorized to delete it. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 401
         }
-        if (err.status) {
-            next(createExpressError(err))
+        if (errStatus) {
+            next(createExpressError(createError(errStatus, errMessage)))
             return
         }
         let preserveID = safe_original["@id"]
@@ -82,9 +77,7 @@ const deleteObj = async function(req, res, next) {
             }
             if (result.modifiedCount === 0) {
                 //result didn't error out, the action was not performed.  Sometimes, this is a neutral thing.  Sometimes it is indicative of an error.
-                err.message = "The original object was not replaced with the deleted object in the database."
-                err.status = 500
-                next(createExpressError(err))
+                next(createExpressError(createError(500, "The original object was not replaced with the deleted object in the database.")))
                 return
             }
             //204 to say it is deleted and there is nothing in the body
@@ -93,14 +86,10 @@ const deleteObj = async function(req, res, next) {
             return
         }
         //Not sure we can get here, as healHistoryTree might throw and error.
-        err.message = "The history tree for the object being deleted could not be mended."
-        err.status = 500
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(500, "The history tree for the object being deleted could not be mended.")))
         return
     }
-    err.message = "No object with this id could be found in RERUM.  Cannot delete."
-    err.status = 404
-    next(createExpressError(err))
+    next(createExpressError(createError(404, "No object with this id could be found in RERUM.  Cannot delete.")))
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/controllers/overwrite.js b/controllers/overwrite.js
index dd30e41..770b35d 100644
--- a/controllers/overwrite.js
+++ b/controllers/overwrite.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import { newID, isValidID, db } from '../database/client.js'
 import { isDeleted, isReleased, isGenerator } from '../predicates.js'
 import { configureWebAnnoHeadersFor } from '../headers.js'
-import { _contextid, ObjectID, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, idNegotiation } from './utils.js'
+import { _contextid, ObjectID, createError, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, idNegotiation } from './utils.js'
 
 /**
  * Replace some existing object in MongoDB with the JSON object in the request body.
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ import { _contextid, ObjectID, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentI
  * Respond RESTfully
  * */
 const overwrite = async function (req, res, next) {
-    let err = { message: `` }
+    let errMessage = ""
+    let errStatus = 0
     res.set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
     let objectReceived = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(req.body))
     let agentRequestingOverwrite = getAgentClaim(req, next)
@@ -34,28 +35,20 @@ const overwrite = async function (req, res, next) {
             return
         }
         if (null === originalObject) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `No object with this id could be found in RERUM. Cannot overwrite. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 404
-            })
+            errMessage = `No object with this id could be found in RERUM. Cannot overwrite. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 404
         }
         else if (isDeleted(originalObject)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to overwrite is deleted. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to overwrite is deleted. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         else if (isReleased(originalObject)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to overwrite is released.  Fork with /update to make changes. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to overwrite is released.  Fork with /update to make changes. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         else if (!isGenerator(originalObject, agentRequestingOverwrite)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `You are not the generating agent for this object. You cannot overwrite it. Fork with /update to make changes. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 401
-            })
+            errMessage = `You are not the generating agent for this object. You cannot overwrite it. Fork with /update to make changes. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 401
         }
         else {
             // Optimistic locking check - no expected version is a brutal overwrite
@@ -105,12 +98,10 @@ const overwrite = async function (req, res, next) {
     }
     else {
         //This is a custom one, the http module will not detect this as a 400 on its own
-        err = Object.assign(err, {
-            message: `Object in request body must have the property '@id' or 'id'. ${err.message}`,
-            status: 400
-        })
+        errMessage = `Object in request body must have the property '@id' or 'id'. ${errMessage}`
+        errStatus = 400
     }
-    next(createExpressError(err))
+    next(createExpressError(createError(errStatus, errMessage)))
 }
 
 export { overwrite }
diff --git a/controllers/release.js b/controllers/release.js
index 957081f..ba23ad8 100644
--- a/controllers/release.js
+++ b/controllers/release.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import { newID, isValidID, db } from '../database/client.js'
 import { isDeleted, isReleased, isGenerator } from '../predicates.js'
 import { configureWebAnnoHeadersFor } from '../headers.js'
-import { _contextid, ObjectID, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, idNegotiation, generateSlugId, establishReleasesTree, healReleasesTree } from './utils.js'
+import { _contextid, ObjectID, createError, createExpressError, getAgentClaim, parseDocumentID, idNegotiation, generateSlugId, establishReleasesTree, healReleasesTree } from './utils.js'
 
 /**
  * Public facing servlet to release an existing RERUM object. This will not
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ const release = async function (req, res, next) {
     let agentRequestingRelease = getAgentClaim(req, next)
     let id = req.params["_id"]
     let slug
-    let err = {"message":""}
+    let errMessage = ""
+    let errStatus = 0
     let treeHealed = false
     if(req.get("Slug")){
         let slug_json = await generateSlugId(req.get("Slug"), next)
@@ -51,25 +52,19 @@ const release = async function (req, res, next) {
         let nextReleases = safe_original.__rerum.releases.next
         
         if (isDeleted(safe_original)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to release is deleted. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to release is deleted. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         if (isReleased(safe_original)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `The object you are trying to release is already released. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 403
-            })
+            errMessage = `The object you are trying to release is already released. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 403
         }
         if (!isGenerator(safe_original, agentRequestingRelease)) {
-            err = Object.assign(err, {
-                message: `You are not the generating agent for this object. You cannot release it. ${err.message}`,
-                status: 401
-            })
+            errMessage = `You are not the generating agent for this object. You cannot release it. ${errMessage}`
+            errStatus = 401
         }
-        if (err.status) {
-            next(createExpressError(err))
+        if (errStatus) {
+            next(createExpressError(createError(errStatus, errMessage)))
             return
         }
         console.log("RELEASE")
@@ -122,11 +117,7 @@ const release = async function (req, res, next) {
     }
     else{
         //This was a bad request
-        err = {
-            message: "You must provide the id of an object to release.  Use /release/id-here or release?_id=id-here.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You must provide the id of an object to release.  Use /release/id-here or release?_id=id-here.")))
         return
     }
 }
diff --git a/controllers/search.js b/controllers/search.js
index 2b4d1fb..6edd135 100644
--- a/controllers/search.js
+++ b/controllers/search.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 import { db } from '../database/client.js'
 import { configureLDHeadersFor } from '../headers.js'
-import { idNegotiation, createExpressError } from './utils.js'
+import { idNegotiation, createError, createExpressError } from './utils.js'
 
 /**
  * Merges and deduplicates results from multiple MongoDB Atlas Search index queries.
@@ -265,11 +265,7 @@ const searchAsWords = async function (req, res, next) {
     let searchText = req.body?.searchText ?? req.body
     const searchOptions = req.body?.options ?? {}
     if (!searchText) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.")))
         return
     }
     const limit = parseInt(req.query.limit ?? 100)
@@ -353,11 +349,7 @@ const searchAsPhrase = async function (req, res, next) {
         slop: 2
     }
     if (!searchText) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.")))
         return
     }
     const limit = parseInt(req.query.limit ?? 100)
@@ -433,11 +425,7 @@ const searchFuzzily = async function (req, res, next) {
         }
     }
     if (!searchText) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.")))
         return
     }
     const limit = parseInt(req.query.limit ?? 100)
@@ -521,20 +509,12 @@ const searchWildly = async function (req, res, next) {
         allowAnalyzedField: true
     }
     if (!searchText) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You did not provide text to search for in the search request.")))
         return
     }
     // Require wildcards in the search text
     if (!searchText.includes('*') && !searchText.includes('?')) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "Wildcards must be used in wildcard search. Use '*' to match any characters or '?' to match a single character.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "Wildcards must be used in wildcard search. Use '*' to match any characters or '?' to match a single character.")))
         return
     }
     const limit = parseInt(req.query.limit ?? 100)
@@ -625,11 +605,7 @@ const searchAlikes = async function (req, res, next) {
     let likeDocument = req.body
     // Validate that a document was provided
     if (!likeDocument || (typeof likeDocument !== 'object') || Object.keys(likeDocument).length === 0) {
-        let err = {
-            message: "You must provide a JSON document in the request body to find similar documents.",
-            status: 400
-        }
-        next(createExpressError(err))
+        next(createExpressError(createError(400, "You must provide a JSON document in the request body to find similar documents.")))
         return
     }
     const limit = parseInt(req.query.limit ?? 100)
diff --git a/controllers/utils.js b/controllers/utils.js
index c643abd..a8c4a2b 100644
--- a/controllers/utils.js
+++ b/controllers/utils.js
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ const index = function (req, res, next) {
     })
 }
 
+export function createError(status, message, details = {}) {
+    return Object.assign(new Error(message), { status, ...details })
+}
+
 function createExpressError(err) {
     let error = {}
     if (err.code) {