For any environmental scientist, it would be an opportunity to die for — to speak to the judges of one of the most powerful US courts about the ecological perils to the oceans.

On 25 June, this dream became a reality for marine ecologists Jeremy Jackson and Nancy Knowlton from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California.

They were invited to provide scientific background to the US Ninth Circuit Court, the largest federal circuit court network and one of the country's most powerful courts. Some 1,600 judges and attorneys attended its annual conference in Kauai, Hawaii.

Cases covering marine-mammal protection, fishing standards and disputes over seismology or sonar studies are often heard in the Ninth Circuit Court, which sets precedents for US waters off the West Coast, Hawaii and Alaska.

The unusual idea of inviting the scientists came from Judge Raymond Fisher, a member of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges and attorneys “were interested in hearing the scientific side of things directly from scientists, rather than filtered through court proceedings,” says Fisher. The audience was treated to an unvarnished look at marine ecological issues — and it made them think differently.

“The ocean is really in very bad shape,” Jackson told the audience, citing the collapse of major fisheries, degradation of coral-reef habitats and the widespread growth of slime from oxygen depletion and agricultural chemical pollution.

“Afterwards, people in the audience said they were largely unaware of the seriousness of the situation,” says Knowlton. “They said they may want to rethink how they address certain environmental issues.”

William Fletcher, a Ninth Circuit appellate judge who helped to select the scientists, added: “People thought the talks were fabulous. I thought I knew a lot about the environment, but I was staggered by what I didn't know.”

Court officials say they expect to invite scientists to next year's conference.