Index: demo/custom-messages-metadata-demo.htm
===================================================================
--- demo/custom-messages-metadata-demo.htm	(revision 0)
+++ demo/custom-messages-metadata-demo.htm	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
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+			E-Mail *
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+			
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+			E-Mail *
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\ No newline at end of file
Index: jquery.validate.js
===================================================================
--- jquery.validate.js	(revision 5616)
+++ jquery.validate.js	(working copy)
@@ -122,15 +122,15 @@
 			}
 		}
 		
-		var data = jQuery.validator.normalizeRules(
-		jQuery.extend(
-			{},
+		var ruleList = jQuery.extend({},
 			jQuery.validator.metadataRules(element),
 			jQuery.validator.classRules(element),
 			jQuery.validator.attributeRules(element),
 			jQuery.validator.staticRules(element)
-		), element);
+			);
+		var data = jQuery.validator.normalizeRules(ruleList, element);
 		
+		
 		// make sure required is at front
 		if (data.required) {
 			var param = data.required;
@@ -496,6 +496,20 @@
 			return true;
 		},
 		
+		// return the custom message for the given element and validation method speicifed in the element's "messages" metadata 
+		customMetaMessage: function(element, method) {
+			if (!jQuery.metadata) return undefined;
+			
+			var metaKey = jQuery.data(element.form, 'validator').settings.meta;
+			var meta = metaKey ? 
+				jQuery(element).metadata()[metaKey] : 
+				jQuery(element).metadata();
+			
+			return meta.messages ? 
+				meta.messages[method] : 
+				undefined;
+		},
+				
 		// return the custom message for the given element name and validation method
 		customMessage: function( name, method ) {
 			var m = this.settings.messages[name];
@@ -516,6 +530,7 @@
 		defaultMessage: function( element, method) {
 			return this.findDefined(
 				this.customMessage( element.name, method ),
+				this.customMetaMessage( element, method ),
 				// title is never undefined, so handle empty string as undefined
 				element.title || undefined,
 				jQuery.validator.messages[method],
@@ -831,6 +846,11 @@
 			}
 		}
 		
+		// To support custom messages in metadata ignore rule methods titled "messages"
+		if (rules.messages) {
+			delete rules.messages
+		}
+		
 		return rules;
 	},