diff --git a/h/api/test/logic_test.py b/h/api/test/logic_test.py
@@ -22,23 +22,6 @@ def _mock_annotation(**kwargs):
    'Annotation', 'search_lib')


-@create_annotation_fixtures
-def test_create_annotation_pops_protected_fields(Annotation):
-    """It should remove any protected fields before calling Annotation."""
-    logic.create_annotation(
-        fields={
-            'foo': 'bar',
-            'created': 'foo',
-            'updated': 'foo',
-            'user': 'foo',
-            'id': 'foo'
-        },
-        userid='acct:annamaria@example.com')
-
-    for field in ('created', 'updated', 'user', 'id'):
-        assert field not in Annotation.call_args[0][0]
-
-
 @create_annotation_fixtures
 def test_create_annotation_calls_Annotation(Annotation):
    fields = mock.MagicMock()
@@ -113,25 +96,6 @@ def test_create_annotation_does_not_crash_if_annotations_parent_has_no_group(
 update_annotation_fixtures = pytest.mark.usefixtures('search_lib')


-@update_annotation_fixtures
-def test_update_annotation_does_not_pass_protected_fields_to_update():
-    annotation = _mock_annotation()
-
-    logic.update_annotation(
-        annotation,
-        fields={
-            'foo': 'bar',
-            'created': 'foo',
-            'updated': 'foo',
-            'user': 'foo',
-            'id': 'foo'
-        },
-        userid='foo')
-
-    for field in ('created', 'updated', 'user', 'id'):
-        assert field not in annotation.update.call_args[0][0]
-
-
 @update_annotation_fixtures
 def test_update_annotation_raises_if_non_admin_changes_perms():
    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
@@ -191,84 +155,6 @@ def test_update_annotation_user_cannot_change_group():
        logic.update_annotation(annotation, fields, 'foo')


-@update_annotation_fixtures
-def test_update_annotation_removes_userid_from_permissions_if_deleted():
-    userid = 'acct:fred@hypothes.is'
-    annotation = _mock_annotation(
-        deleted=True,
-        user=userid,
-        permissions={
-            'admin': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'read': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'update': ['someone else'],
-            'delete': ['someone else']
-        }
-    )
-    fields = {
-        'permissions': {
-            'update': [userid],
-            'delete': [userid]
-        }
-    }
-
-    logic.update_annotation(annotation, fields, userid)
-
-    for action in annotation['permissions']:
-        assert userid not in annotation['permissions'][action]
-
-
-@update_annotation_fixtures
-def test_update_annotation_does_not_remove_userid_if_not_deleted():
-    userid = 'acct:fred@hypothes.is'
-    annotation = _mock_annotation(
-        deleted=False,
-        user=userid,
-        permissions={
-            'admin': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'read': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'update': ['someone else'],
-            'delete': ['someone else']
-        }
-    )
-    fields = {
-        'permissions': {
-            'update': [userid],
-            'delete': [userid]
-        }
-    }
-
-    logic.update_annotation(annotation, fields, userid)
-
-    for action in annotation['permissions']:
-        assert userid in annotation['permissions'][action]
-
-
-@update_annotation_fixtures
-def test_update_annotation_if_deleted_does_not_remove_other_principals():
-    userid = 'acct:fred@hypothes.is'
-    annotation = _mock_annotation(
-        deleted=True,
-        user=userid,
-        permissions={
-            'admin': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'read': [userid, 'someone else'],
-            'update': [userid],
-            'delete': [userid]
-        }
-    )
-    fields = {
-        'permissions': {
-            'update': ['someone else'],
-            'delete': ['someone else']
-        }
-    }
-
-    logic.update_annotation(annotation, fields, userid)
-
-    for action in annotation['permissions']:
-        assert 'someone else' in annotation['permissions'][action]
-
-
 @update_annotation_fixtures
 def test_update_annotation_calls_prepare(search_lib):
    annotation = _mock_annotation()
diff --git a/h/api/test/schemas_test.py b/h/api/test/schemas_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import pytest
+
+from h.api import schemas
+
+
+class ExampleSchema(schemas.JSONSchema):
+    schema = {
+        '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
+        'type': 'string',
+    }
+
+
+def test_jsonschema_returns_data_when_valid():
+    data = "a string"
+
+    assert ExampleSchema().validate(data) == data
+
+
+def test_jsonschema_raises_when_data_invalid():
+    data = 123  # not a string
+
+    with pytest.raises(schemas.ValidationError):
+        ExampleSchema().validate(data)
+
+
+def test_jsonschema_sets_appropriate_error_message_when_data_invalid():
+    data = 123  # not a string
+
+    with pytest.raises(schemas.ValidationError) as e:
+        ExampleSchema().validate(data)
+
+    message = e.value.message
+    assert message.startswith("123 is not of type 'string'")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('field', [
+    'created',
+    'updated',
+    'user',
+    'id',
+])
+def test_annotationschema_removes_protected_fields(field):
+    data = {}
+    data[field] = 'something forbidden'
+
+    result = schemas.AnnotationSchema().validate(data)
+
+    assert field not in result
diff --git a/h/api/test/validators_test.py b/h/api/test/validators_test.py
diff --git a/h/api/test/views_test.py b/h/api/test/views_test.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def test_annotations_index_renders_results(search_lib):

 # The fixtures required to mock all of create()'s dependencies.
 create_fixtures = pytest.mark.usefixtures(
-    'logic', 'AnnotationEvent', 'search_lib', 'validators')
+    'logic', 'AnnotationEvent', 'search_lib', 'schemas')


 @create_fixtures
@@ -161,34 +161,35 @@ def test_create_returns_error_if_parsing_json_fails():


 @create_fixtures
-def test_create_calls_create_annotation(logic):
+def test_create_calls_create_annotation(logic, schemas):
    """It should call logic.create_annotation() appropriately."""
    request = mock.Mock()
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.return_value = {'foo': 123}

    views.create(request)

    logic.create_annotation.assert_called_once_with(
-        request.json_body,
+        {'foo': 123},
        userid=request.authenticated_userid)


 @create_fixtures
-def test_create_calls_validator(validators):
+def test_create_calls_validator(schemas):
    request = mock.Mock()

    views.create(request)

-    validators.Annotation.return_value.validate.assert_called_once_with(
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.assert_called_once_with(
        request.json_body)


 @create_fixtures
-def test_create_returns_api_error_for_validation_error(validators):
-    class Error(Exception):
+def test_create_returns_api_error_for_validation_error(schemas):
+    class ValidationError(Exception):
        pass
-    validators.Error = Error
-    validators.Annotation.return_value.validate.side_effect = (
-        validators.Error(mock.sentinel.reason))
+    schemas.ValidationError = ValidationError
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.side_effect = (
+        schemas.ValidationError(mock.sentinel.reason))

    response = views.create(mock.Mock())

@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ def test_read_does_not_crash_if_annotation_has_no_group():

 # The fixtures required to mock all of update()'s dependencies.
 update_fixtures = pytest.mark.usefixtures(
-    'logic', 'Annotation', 'search_lib', 'validators')
+    'logic', 'Annotation', 'search_lib', 'schemas')


 @update_fixtures
@@ -289,22 +290,22 @@ def test_update_returns_error_if_json_parsing_fails():


 @update_fixtures
-def test_update_calls_validator(validators):
+def test_update_calls_validator(schemas):
    request = mock.Mock()

    views.update(mock.Mock(), request)

-    validators.Annotation.return_value.validate.assert_called_once_with(
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.assert_called_once_with(
        request.json_body)


 @update_fixtures
-def test_update_returns_api_error_for_validation_error(validators):
-    class Error(Exception):
+def test_update_returns_api_error_for_validation_error(schemas):
+    class ValidationError(Exception):
        pass
-    validators.Error = Error
-    validators.Annotation.return_value.validate.side_effect = (
-        validators.Error(mock.sentinel.reason))
+    schemas.ValidationError = ValidationError
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.side_effect = (
+        schemas.ValidationError(mock.sentinel.reason))

    response = views.update(mock.Mock(), mock.Mock())

@@ -313,15 +314,16 @@ class Error(Exception):


 @update_fixtures
-def test_update_calls_update_annotation(logic):
+def test_update_calls_update_annotation(logic, schemas):
    context = mock.Mock()
    request = mock.Mock()
+    schemas.AnnotationSchema.return_value.validate.return_value = {'foo': 123}

    views.update(context, request)

    logic.update_annotation.assert_called_once_with(
        context.model,
-        request.json_body,
+        {'foo': 123},
        request.authenticated_userid)


@@ -468,7 +470,7 @@ def access_token(request):


 @pytest.fixture
-def validators(request):
-    patcher = mock.patch('h.api.views.validators', autospec=True)
+def schemas(request):
+    patcher = mock.patch('h.api.views.schemas', autospec=True)
    request.addfinalizer(patcher.stop)
    return patcher.start()
diff --git a/h/api/validators.py b/h/api/validators.py
diff --git a/h/api/views.py b/h/api/views.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from h.api.events import AnnotationEvent
 from h.api import search as search_lib
 from h.api import logic
-from h.api import validators
+from h.api import schemas
 from h.api.resources import Annotation
 from h.api.resources import Annotations
 from h.api.resources import Root
@@ -158,11 +158,11 @@ def create(request):
                          status_code=400)  # Client Error: Bad Request

    try:
-        validators.Annotation().validate(fields)
-    except validators.Error as err:
+        appstruct = schemas.AnnotationSchema().validate(fields)
+    except schemas.ValidationError as err:
        return _api_error(request, err.message, status_code=400)

-    annotation = logic.create_annotation(fields,
+    annotation = logic.create_annotation(appstruct,
                                         userid=request.authenticated_userid)

    # Notify any subscribers
@@ -197,14 +197,14 @@ def update(context, request):
                          status_code=400)  # Client Error: Bad Request

    try:
-        validators.Annotation().validate(fields)
-    except validators.Error as err:
+        appstruct = schemas.AnnotationSchema().validate(fields)
+    except schemas.ValidationError as err:
        return _api_error(request, err.message, status_code=400)

    # Update and store the annotation
    try:
        logic.update_annotation(annotation,
-                                fields,
+                                appstruct,
                                userid=request.authenticated_userid)
    except RuntimeError as err:
        return _api_error(
diff --git a/h/static/scripts/directive/annotation.coffee b/h/static/scripts/directive/annotation.coffee
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 events = require('../events')

 # Validate an annotation.
-# Annotations must be attributed to a user or marked as deleted.
+# Annotations must be attributed to a user.
 # A public annotation is valid only if they have a body.
 # A non-public annotation requires only a target (e.g. a highlight).
 validate = (value) ->
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ AnnotationController = [
    ###
    this.isHighlight = ->
      model.target?.length and not model.references?.length and
-      not (model.text or model.deleted or model.tags?.length)
+      not (model.text or model.tags?.length)

    ###*
    # @ngdoc method
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ AnnotationController = [
    # @description Saves any edits and returns to the viewer.
    ###
    this.save = ->
-      unless model.user or model.deleted
+      unless model.user
        return flash.info('Please sign in to save your annotations.')
      unless validate(@annotation)
        return flash.info('Please add text or a tag before publishing.')
diff --git a/h/templates/client/annotation.html b/h/templates/client/annotation.html
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@

 <div ng-if="vm.annotation.user">
  <header class="annotation-header">
-    <!-- Deletion notice -->
-    <div ng-if="!vm.editing && vm.annotation.deleted">Annotation deleted.</div>
-
    <!-- User -->
    <span ng-if="vm.annotation.user">
      <span>
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def run_tests(self):
    'gnsq>=0.3.0,<0.4.0',
    'gunicorn>=19.2,<20',
    'jsonpointer==1.0',
-    'jsonschema==1.3.0',
+    'jsonschema>=2.5.1,<2.6',
    'oauthlib==0.6.3',
    'pyramid>=1.5,<1.6',
    'psycogreen>=1.0',