Nebraska Supreme Court drops Simpsons Reference in Opinion

Though it doesn’t happen often, you once in a while get to see Court Justices have fun in their opinions. There’s times pop culture references are used and in a recent opinion, the Nebraska Supreme Court did exactly that.

In a recent ruling regarding people who have completed sentences for felony convictions and voter registration, they made a Simpsons reference even those they’re scolding should understand.

In decision, they wrote:

For a statue to be declared unconstitutional, the Nebraska Constitution requires the vote of five justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Neb. Const. art. V, 2. Only the Nebraska Supreme Court declares statues unconstitutional. The super-majority requirement is well known. Patty and Selma at the Department of Motor Vehicles may not be constitutional scholars, but they know that they are expected to follow the law. We recently reiterated that everyone is presumed to know this law and is bound to take notice of it…

At the heart of the case is the ability of those who have completed their sentences getting their right to vote back. The Nebraska Secretary of State and Attorney General declared that they couldn’t and a law regarding that unconstitutional without any court ruling it as such. That decision would have disenfranchised thousands of individuals, individuals likely to have voted Democrat. It’s decision that could have major implications on the 2024 election.

More people voting is a good thing… court decisions that reference the Simpsons, also a good thing.