Favorite Star Trek/ Fictional Supreme Court

[Timber Loftis]

The ABA asked lawyers to pick their fictional appointees to the Supreme Court. Here's what some said:

ANSWERS OF THE WEEK
Last week, we asked you to stack the U.S. Supreme Court with the fictional characters you think are best-suited to those seats. We received many well-reasoned nominations (and some cheeky ones) from elevision shows and movies, ranging from Star Trek to The Fugitive.

Winner!
This week's winner receives an ABA Journal eReport Mug!
Congratulations!

I would nominate Uncle Jesse from The Dukes of Hazzard. As I recall, he once
stood down the police, shotgun in hand, refusing to permit a search of his farm without a warrant. He often told people that certain issues were none of their business, indicating he would strongly support privacy rights and limited government. Though his looks are rough, Uncle Jesse’’s arguments are sophisticated, and his rhetoric is peppered with appeals to natural law, fairness and reason. Justice Uncle Jesse would blend the civil libertarian ideals of protecting freedom of speech, association and religion and the rights of the criminal accused with the notion of limited government most often held by conservatives. Of course, there can be little doubt as to how this shotgun-toting country man would interpret the Second Amendment.
Moreover (some would say, unlike the current justices), he once prevented a corrupt politician (Boss Hogg) from stuffing the ballot box.
Carl Moore
Nashville, Tenn.

The logical choice from the Star Trek crew would have to be Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley). Then, when Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) says, "Bones, how could you possibly affirm the lower courts in that case?" Justice McCoy could simply reply, "What do you expect from me? I’’m a doctor, not a lawyer!"
Bill Rickett Akron,
Ohio

I figured, working in one of the nation’’s largest state prosecution offices, I’’d ask my fellow prosecutors who they’’d like to see on the court. The clear winner was Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, of course, due to his fairness, strength of moral character, moderate nature and, as one colleague put it, "He’’s just da bomb."

Also nominated, notably, was Lt. Cmdr. Worf, the Klingon security/tactical officer, cited for his strong prosecutorial instincts, law enforcement background and appreciation of capital punishment. We all felt that he was most likely President Bush’’s favorite and probably the most Republican of them all (counselor Deanna Troi was thought of as the liberal, by the way).

Coming in third was Lt. Cmdr. Data, who of course played judge in at least one episode where Capt. Picard took on the devil herself (aka Ardra).
Cmdr. William Riker, unfortunately, was considered good law clerk material, but not quite intellectually all there to be a justice of the highest court.
I personally liked the character Q as a judge (which is what he played in the pilot and the series finale). His twisted sense of humor, unusual methods and shifting perspectives (sometimes liberal, sometimes conservative, but certainly NEVER moderate) would bring about his own sense of justice to the often divided court.
A. Ba-Yunus
Miami

Q. He is omniscient, omnipotent, witty and supremely confident. He would ensure a speedy and just resolution to all disputes. Besides, if he were ever wrong, he would simply alter the time continuum, and no one would be the wiser.
Chris Fong
Vancouver, British Columbia

Counselor Troi. An empath would be able to educe the probity of evidence much better than the current, limited humans who sit on benches and juries.
David Dodson South Bend, Ind.

Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, from Lord of the Rings: Stern and proud, but neither humorless nor vain, I imagine that both the court and our nation could benefit much from the ancient wisdom of the half-elf lord. He keeps council with all manner of citizen——power-hungry humans, greedy dwarves, simple halflings——but never supposes to impose his justice without leave of the judged. Nevertheless, he holds each responsible for his or her own deeds, and never forgets the evil that some do.
Robert Morrow
Orange, Calif.

Dr. Richard Kimble from The Fugitive. Having been wrongly convicted and sentenced to die for the murder of his wife, he is personally familiar with problems in the criminal justice system. He is also compassionate: Practically every week he interrupted his search for the one-armed man by saving somebody’’s life or otherwise assisting a person in need. Finally, anyone who watched the show knows that he is very intelligent. Luckily, there is no constitutional or statutory requirement that a justice be a lawyer.
Frederick Rhine
Chicago

Judge Haywood (Spencer Tracy) in Judgment at Nuremberg. Not only was the judge
honest and upright, he was truly interested in "truth, justice and the value of a single human being." He also believed that we must not give up those principles and beliefs that we say we stand for simply because we feel threatened.
John Harwood
Concord, N.H.

A young Barney Fife (Don Knotts) because he carries only one bullet and can be trusted to use it judiciously. Fife can pass for someone from another planet who was transported to Mayberry in a sci-fi thriller, so he would represent all those folks who really do believe that the court has been stacked with aliens. Also, I think it would be cool to have him say to Justice Antonin Scalia, "Aw, Antonin," in his best "Aw, Andy" voice when he disagrees with one of the justice’’s decisions.
Kim Swanson
Columbus, Ohio

I would nominate Yoda from the Star Wars movies. His wisdom would serve him well on the court, and he already looks like what we expect a justice to look like. (Only kidding, your honors!)
Michael Kutzin
New York City

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. He would be fair and honest, and he would think things through. He would stand up for what he believes, even if it were not comfortable.
Morissa Fregeau
Longmeadow, Mass.

I would nominate the HAL 9000 computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey. He’’s obviously capable of being up on all U.S., English, tribal and Talmudic precedents ever recorded. And when the right wing of the court (and there will always be one) tries to recruit HAL to help undo all the civil rights advances made over the last 50 years, he’’d simply say in that silky voice of his, "I’’m sorry, I’’m afraid I can’’t do that." (Hopefully, he won’’t bump off his benchmates.)
Barry Negrin
New York City

Forrest Gump: He makes all his decisions by relying on a little common sense and keeping things simple, which, unfortunately, is sometimes exactly what the legal world and the supreme court forgets to consider important.
Scott Wolfe Jr.
New Orleans