It looks like discussing superheroes is the new hotness when it comes to opinions issued by judges. Following the Supreme Court’s lead, D.C. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett decided to discuss Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League in her opinion in PETA v. Dep’t of Agriculture.

The case concerned the USDA extending the Animal Welfare Act to birds. They’ve taken ten years to figure out how to do so, so PETA sued them.

Here’s what the judge said in the opinion.

The same principles that prevent any individual caped crusader from using the courts to vindicate his or her views as to the proper enforcement of the laws should preclude the same gambit by a group of likeminded individuals. As for Batman or Wonder Woman, so too for the Justice League.

There’s a law that says as an individual you can’t sue an agency to enact your opinion. Since individuals can’t do it, then a group can’t. That’s the above in a nutshell.

This is the second high-profile time a justice has cited comics. Justice Kagan talked Spider-Man in her opinion Kimble v. Marvel Enterprises. Maybe Judge Millett with the Justice League consider the Circuit Court she’s in?

(via Above the Law)