Who owns the Stormtroopers? As the 390,127 people who recorded their religion as Jedi in the 2001 census will tell you, the answer is of course the Emperor Palpatine. The white-clad forces of the Empire, equal parts Terminator and astronaut, battled Luke Skywalker and the gang in the Star Wars films.

One British designer, however, would differ with the Jedi masters. Andrew Ainsworth helped to produce the original outfits for the 1977 movie and has asserted his right to continue to make and sell them. There is a considerable market for this. For many, there is no pleasanter way to spend a weekend than shooting up Ewoks, and, naturally, this is more fun in authentic kit. But George Lucas and his company, creators of the Stormtroopers and the world in which they live, disagree with Mr Ainsworth, hence a court case.

This presents a considerable challenge. The Stormtroopers existed not just long ago but in a galaxy far, far away. Can intellectual property legislation span these epic distances of space and time? And how conversant are both sides lawyers with the fine detail of the Galactic Empire's legal code?

And besides the legal niceties, Star Wars is, to fans, a tale as ingrained into the collective consciousness as any folk story. Staking claim to the Stormtrooper uniform is like trying to copyright Robin Hood's Lincoln green. Interference with the hobby of dressing up as a sci-fi bit-part could be construed as a denial of an inalienable cultural ritual. The case's protagonists should be careful. As Yoda might say, pick a fight with a man with a DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle you shouldn't.