Wait, What? Federal Judge Hilariously DRAGS Star Wars Sequels — In a Court Opinion About Cooking Oil?

Rulings handed down from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals are very often the stuff of newspaper articles, cable programs, and politics and news in general. Usually, however, not the stuff of sci-fi fandom feeding frenzies.

This week, however, an opinion from Ninth Circuit Judge Kenneth K. Lee is all of those things, after weighing in “as a matter of law” to borrow from attorney Ted Frank‘s tweet, on George Lucas, Disney, tv show The Bachelor, and the relative schlockiness of Star Wars sequels.

In Briseño v. Henderson concerning ConAgra’s promise not to use “100% Natural” in marketing Wesson Oil, Judge Lee’s decision holds that because the company no longer owned the brand, “this promise is about as meaningful and enduring as a proposal in the Final Rose ceremony on the Bachelor.”

That opening pop culture salvo was nothing compared to his subsequent remark.

“ConAgra thus essentially agreed not to do something over which it lacks the power to do,” Judge Lee wrote. “That is like George Lucas promising no more mediocre and schlocky Star Wars sequels shortly after selling the franchise to Disney. Such a promise would be illusory.”

But the real lightsaber to the gut was in the footnote.

Ootini!!!

Law.com asked in a headline whether the references are “Cool or Cringe” as the story rocketed through social media and onto sites like ScreenRant and Bounding Into Comics that might not normally be chatting about Ninth Circuit rulings.

Although the Force Lightning that struck down Disney produced the most social sizzle, Lee also managed to quote the musical Hamilton, and the opinion actually opened with an oblique reference to a Matthew McConaughey film.

“We can perhaps sum up this case as ‘How to Lose a Class Action Settlement in 10 Ways,'” reads the first line.

This wasn’t just an Opinion, this judge had some opinions. Maybe other courts should look into this type of framing. I can think of a few cases lately where Darth Vader would have been an appropriate metaphor. He never did trust the ballot box, after all.