Federal appeals courts are increasingly citing the web-based encyclopedia Wikipedia in their opinions, according to a search by the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.
The Blog found that the courts have cited Wikipedia about 95 times in the past 5 years, including entries on Elvis Presley, anal fissures, “happy hour,” and the film Blazing Saddles. A 2007 New York Times article noted that appeals courts had cited Wikipedia only 13 times in the prior three years.
The two appeals courts with the most cites were the Seventh Circuit, with 36 citations, and the Ninth, with 17.
The U. S. Supreme Court has not yet cited Wikipedia in any of its opinions.
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Hat tip to the ABA Journal.
