In a ruling issued today by the Texas Supreme Court in Robinson v Crown Cork Seal Company legal history has been made: the use of a Star Trek aphorism to decide a case.  Justice Don Willett, who wrote the opinion, must be a Trekkie.  I had no idea that The Wrath of Khan was acceptable for use as legal precedent, but now it is.

Appropriately weighty principles guide our course. First, we recognize that police power draws from the credo that “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” [emphasis added] Second, while this maxim rings utilitarian and Dickensian (not to mention Vulcan), it is cabined by something
contrarian and Texan…

The Justices must’ve pondered over this case long and hard, stating

Today’s case is both complex and consequential, and fiendishly so. The facts are compelling; the law is unclear; and the stakes are high, not just for these parties but also for our constitutional architecture that both confers and constrains governmental power.

He may as well have called it a “real Kobayashi Maru.”

But this begs an important question: if Star Trek can be legal precedent, what else can be?  Should the Department of Defense institute The Prime Directive ? Should Asimov’s 3 Laws of Robotics be installed on all artificial life forms?  Should “Try Not.  Do… or Do Not. There is no Try.” be cited in cases of attempted murder?

This and more to be decided in the case of “My Geekiness vs. My Love of Government” soon.  Just imagine, inside my head are a little George Lucas vs.a little Leslie Knope.  That reference too obscure? Ok, actually, it’s just two Al Gore’s fighting each other.

PS- Citizen-Bot lives in Texas and loves poking fun at the crazy things we do.  Want to mess with Texas?  Or suggest what other sci-fi/fantasy should have legal sway?  Leave in the comments section!