The headline does not do the story justice - makes it sound like the judge didn’t respect Data’s hypothetical rights, when she in fact acknowledged them.
Wouldn't surprise me if he's trying to bait the court into a "Measure of a Man" debate since all these people do is try to bait others into pointless exhausting performative "debates".
Take the bait and rule that anything smart enough to do work has a right to it, then arrest this guy for false imprisonment and forced labor 'til he sets his "Sentient" AI free.