The Supreme Court of La Mancha, in a decision announced by Chief Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, found that Don Quixote, alias Alonso Quixana, does not require a guardian. Kali Borkowski reports for SCOTUSblog on the proceedings at the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Although there were only five justices in contrast to the SCOTUS nine, it was still a hot bench.
Counsel arguing for the guardianship got some tough questions also.
The first question from the bench came from Chief Justice Ginsburg, who pointed out that Goldstein had filed a brief titled "Retort courteous." But because Alonso was the petitioner in the case, he should be petitioning, rather than retorting: "So," she suggested, "it seems you should be terminated for ineffective assistance of counsel." Goldstein countered, "Your honor, your views on procedure are notorious."
In a follow-up, the Chief Justice worried that Alonso was a danger to both himself and windmills. Goldstein assured her that the windmill would be ok, and that, "[a]s we reach out to discover America, what we need is more inspiration." Goldstein explained that just because someone falls off his horse, or his bike, it does not make him crazy or dangerous.
Unconvinced, Justice Jackson wondered, "How's that dreamy, questy stuff workin' out for ya?"
Counsel arguing for the guardianship got some tough questions also.
Expanding on the question of Alonso's delusions, Justice Breyer noted that an energy lawyer had told him at dinner that windmills have killed 600,000 bats, "They just popped." So, the Justice wondered, "How do we know they're not monsters?"But the outcome wasn't really much in doubt.
Justice Ginsburg closed the evening by announcing the Court's holding: "If the world were populated by people who see it as it is, and not as it should be, how would civilization progress?"
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