PoliticsPoliticsElena KaganVideo

Elena Kagan Fills Kimble v. Marvel Opinion With Spider-Man Easter Eggs

Elena Kagan Fills Kimble v. Marvel Opinion With Spider-Man Easter Eggs
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior Editor, Breaking News, HuffPost

|

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan knows that with great power comes great responsibility.

Kagan was tasked with writing the opinion in the court's ruling on Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, which addressed the payment of royalties for the use of a patented invention after the patent's expiration date. The case specifically addressed petitioner Stephen Kimble's toy that imitated Spider-Man, allowing kids to shoot a foam string from the palms of their hands.

Kagan took it upon herself to drop some Spider-Man Easter eggs into her opinion, referencing the Marvel hero's popular theme song and one of the most quoted pieces of advice from Spider-Man's Uncle Ben:

On page 2...

And page 18...

Read the full opinion below:

Spiderman Opinion

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Supreme Court Justices Get Out Of The Office
Sonia Sotomayor(01 of14)
Open Image Modal
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun) (credit:AP)
Elena Kagan(02 of14)
Open Image Modal
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, center, stands on the field during batting practice before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:AP)
Samuel A. Alito(03 of14)
Open Image Modal
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. throws out the ceremonial pitch before a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers Wednesday, June 19, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (credit:AP)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (04 of14)
Open Image Modal
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg waves to the crowd before discussing Roe vs. Wade case on its 40th anniversary at The University of Chicago Law School in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) (credit:AP)
Antonin Scalia(05 of14)
Open Image Modal
US Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia poses for a photo during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, DC. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Sonia Sotomayor(06 of14)
Open Image Modal
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushes the Waterford crystal button that signals the descent of the New Years Eve Ball in Times Square in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)
Antonin Scalia(07 of14)
Open Image Modal
Surrounded by security, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia walks October 10, 2005 in the annual Columbus Day Parade in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Samuel A. Alito, Jr.(08 of14)
Open Image Modal
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., left, participates in a fireside chat event with the Honorable Ronald A. Cass at Roger Williams University Law School in Bristol, RI. (AP Photo/Lindsey Anderson) (credit:AP)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (09 of14)
Open Image Modal
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks with National Constitution Center president and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (credit:AP)
John Roberts(10 of14)
Open Image Modal
Chief Justice John Roberts stands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg(11 of14)
Open Image Modal
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, left, enters the UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Ginsburg is scheduled to discuss the role of Supreme Court Justices in our political system; progress on achieving gender equality, the legal limits of free speech, working relationships among the Justices, and more at the law school this evening. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) (credit:AP)
Clarence Thomas(12 of14)
Open Image Modal
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas addresses the audience during a program at the Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Tribune Review, Sidney Davis) (credit:AP)
Elena Kagan(13 of14)
Open Image Modal
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Elena Kagan speaks onstage at the FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Summit on October 16, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for FORTUNE) (credit:Getty Images)
Stephen Breyer (14 of14)
Open Image Modal
US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer answers a question during an interview with Agence France-Presse at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip