The judges and practitioners of the Federal Circuit have long labored under the image of the nerds of the federal courts, handling cases involving patents, trademarks, and other specialized areas. Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore may have hoped to address that deficit in social standing by paying a PR firm to come up with a video and theme song based on the Schoolhouse Rock genre. If so, a new video is unlikely to help matters.
While some lawyers who received the note from the PR film thought it might be a fake, it was apparently a court product. Here is what was circulated:
Please see here for the fun Schoolhouse Rock-style cartoon theme song for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore played at their Judiciary Conference on Fri. in Washington. The crowd seemed to enjoy, and it does a good job of explaining the court.
That suspicion may have only increased after clicking on the link:
I was unable to confirm the use or amount of public funds, but the involvement of a public relations firm suggests that money was budgeted for this effort.
Chief Moore may face questions over whether such expenditures are justified. Courts often spend money on conferences that bring in speakers and panels to discuss legal developments and theories. They also have funds for community related activities such as courthouse displays and tours.
The total appropriations for the Federal Circuit in 2025 was $40,365,723. The court increased that request by roughly $2 million. in 2026 to $42,321,260.
Looking at the itemized obligations section of the budget, most of the budget is for salaries. There are provisions for “communications” and “other services” but I could not find anything that clearly encompassed this type of promotional product.
Nevertheless, my assumption is that this expenditure would fall within the broad parameters given to the courts. For example, it could be subsumed within the budget of the annual judicial conference as a fun diversion for the judges and the lawyers. Moreover, if AI produced, the cost is likely relatively small.
While it does not reach Noem-like levels (and is focused on the court rather than the Chief Judge), some in Congress may not be thrilled by the notion of courts spending public funds to manage their public image.
If public funds were used for this video, some in Congress may soon be quoting from the original song over the costs: “Yes, I’m only a bill. And I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill.”
Kudos: Professor Josh Blackman
It’s pretty wild to see public funds going toward a court promotional video while everyday citizens are just trying to navigate basic legal transparency and government records. If people spent half as much energy actually finding official documentation or conducting an https://arrests-ca.org the system might run a lot smoother. Taxpayer dollars could definitely be put to better use than production budgets for theme songs.
The courthouse theme song is an interesting way to bring attention to the federal judicial system and its public role. It also highlights how creative media can make legal topics more accessible to a wider audience. For those researching related public information, ARRESTS MA Records can be a useful reference for reviewing available records.Clear and accessible legal resources can help people stay informed about court-related matters.
This is an interesting take on how federal courts can use creative media to connect with the public. The discussion also highlights how public interest in court-related information continues to grow. For anyone researching https://arrests-me.org having organized information can make that process easier. It will be interesting to see how the project is received and whether similar efforts appear elsewhere.
Interesting discussion about how courts and legal institutions are sometimes presented through promotional media. It’s also useful to have reliable resources for checking public legal information alongside these stories. For those researching case-related details Arrests.org CO Records can be a helpful reference. Overall, this is an unusual but thought-provoking approach to courthouse outreach.
The idea of a courthouse getting a promotional theme song and video is certainly an unusual approach. It raises interesting questions about how public institutions choose to present themselves and connect with the community. For anyone interested in researching related legal information, https://aarrestsorg.org can be a useful reference point. Public discussion around these projects also shows how courts continue to find new ways to engage with people.
Gbye. There’s no free speech here. It’s the speech of lies and obscenity. The only surprise is:
To be or not to be. Is it nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or take up arms and oppose them…
The nation would have taken up arms long before now…
“. . . long labored under the image of the nerds of the federal courts . . .”
Maybe to insiders. If I’m any gauge, the general public has *no* image of that Court, at all.
“. . . address that deficit in social standing . . .” (JT)
Seems to me that the PR stunt is a desperate attempt for attention among the general public.