Opening Arguments podcast

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36:56

What makes some people supercommunicators? How can you become one too? This is the central lesson in Charles Duhigg’s bestseller Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret of Communication. Charles and Chris dissect what makes messy conversations so great, how to ask deep questions, and whether women and men communicate differently. They also discuss the different rules for different technologies — from telephones to Facebook to Signal — and how cautious politeness may be the best method to communicate effectively online. Follow Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @ chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com ) Guest: Charles Duhigg (Instagram: @charlesduhigg | LinkedIn: @charlesduhigg | Website: https://charlesduhigg.com/ ) Links Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Subscribe to TED Instagram: @ted YouTube: @TED TikTok: @tedtoks LinkedIn: @ted-conferences Website: ted.com Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Opening Arguments

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The podcast that breaks down the law for all of the news stories you care about.

1156集单集

Opening Arguments

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updated 2天之前

系列首页•Feed

The podcast that breaks down the law for all of the news stories you care about.

1156集单集

#Politics #News #Opening Arguments Media LLC #Law #Legal #Atheist #Harvard #Liberal #Supremecourt #Opinions

Semua episode

1
GOOD THINGS HAPPENS! 100% GOOD NEWS OA DAY! 50:32

2天之前50:32

50:32

OA1205 - It's another good news Friday! Voting rights expert Jenessa runs down some of the highlights of the off-year blue sweep in this week's elections, as well as some recent unsung national victories for voting and disability rights. Matt then checks in on the Supreme Court's oral arguments from the challenge to Trump's unprecedented tariffs and why it is looking like he might actually lose his administration's first attempt to defend one of his second administration's policies on the merits. Finally, in today's footnote: Why a federal judge recently decided that a lawsuit brought by the man whose penis was once featured on the cover of the most important albums of 1990s smelled like summary judgment. Supreme Court oral arguments in Learning Resources, Inc v. Trump (11/5/2025) The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 "Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Pratcies that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits," The White House (4/2/2025)(executive order on tariffs) Solicitor General John Sauer's brief in Learning Resources Plaintiff's second amended complaint in Elden v. Nirvana LLC et al D.C. federal judge Coleen Kollar-Kotelly's opinion in combined litigation challenging Trump's executive order on citizenship requirements for voting (10/31/25) DC federal judge Amir Ali's order in National Association of the Deaf v. Trump (11/4/25) Order granting defendants' motion for summary judgment in Elden v. Nirvana, LLC (9/30/2025)…

1
Night of the Living Op-Ed! (A Belated Spooktacular) 58:53

4天之前58:53

58:53

VR12 - Yes, we absolutely thought this was coming out pre-Halloween. Halloween may be over, but NEVERTHELESS THE SPOOKTACULAR PERSISTED! In this Vapid Response double feature, Thomas, Matt, and Lydia are haunted by two ghoulish takes from the past: FEATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON: Politico' s insanely longform access journalism piece from August 2024 on how Project 2025 was so totally over, just never happening, nothing to see here EROSSERHEAD: New York Times resident traditional conservative Ross Douthat's 2015 analysis of why Donald Trump is definitely not a fascist We then screen a short horror film recently shot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. " The Inside Story of How Project 2025 Fell Apart," Ian Ward, POLITICO (8/2/2024) Project 2025 Tracker - Home " Opinion | Is Donald Trump a Fascist?," Ross Douthat, The New York Times (12/3/2015)…

1
What Happens When the House Refuses to Swear in a New Member? 54:02

6天之前54:02

54:02

OA1204 - As House Speaker Mike Johnson continues to pretend that he doesn't have to seat Democrat Adelita Grijalva well over a month after she was elected to represent Arizona's 7th Congressional district, we take a closer look at the last time that Congress refused to swear someone in and what the Warren Court had to say about it. Who was Harlem Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, why was the House so intent on excluding him in 1966, and how precedential might Powell v. McCormack be for the lawsuit which Arizona has filed on Grijalva's behalf? Powell v. McCormack , 395 U.S. 486 (1969) Adam by Adam; the autobiography of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr , Adam Clayton, Powell Jr. (1972) (Internet Archive ) 2 USC Sec 25 Complaint in Arizona v. House of Representatives (filed 10/21/25) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
COURTHOUSE OF HORROR 56:42

9天之前56:42

56:42

OA1203 - Happy Halloween! We take shelter from a year of ghoulish legal news in the COURTHOUSE OF HORROR, a cabinet of macabre legal curiosities including: "SO I TRADEMARKED AN AXE MURDERER": The historic Lizzie Borden House takes a whack at a nearby coffee shop "THE BONE DETECTOR": Recent patent bar survivor Jenessa Seymour brings us the unbelievable story of the spookiest--and silliest!--lie detector ever registered by the US Patent & Trademark Office "ATTACK OF THE TORTIOUS CLOWNS": Can you sue a haunted house for your fright-related injuries? "THE GREENBRIER GHOST": The bizarre tale of how a victim's testimony from beyond the grave helped to convict her killer in an 1896 West Virginia murder trial "CANDYMAN 5: SUMMARY JUDGMENT": In a tasty conclusion to last year's Halloween footnote on consumers disappointed with the spookiness of their seasonal treats, a Florida federal judge finds as a matter of law that there is no wrong way to make a Reese's. Finally, we close on a serious note with Jenessa's guide to how every registered voter can do their part next week to change the plot of our ongoing American horror story. Order in Ghost Adventures LLC v. Miss Lizzie's Coffee, LLC , No. 23-2000 (1st Cir.)(Selya, J.)(11/15/2024) " Federal Judge Known for Polysyllabic Prose Dies at 90," Trip Gabriel, The New York Times , (3/21/2025) " Would You Confess Your Criminal Misdeeds to This Skeleton? ," Cara Giaimo, Atlas Obscura (5/16/2017) "Apparatus for Obtaining Criminal Confessions and Photographically Recording Them," Patent #1749090, H.A. Shelby (filed 8/10/1927) " The Greenbrier Ghost Reexamined ," Greenbrier Historical Society, Arabeth Balseko (1/20/2022) Summary judgment order in Munoz v. Six Flags St. Louis LLC (10/12/2022)(Wallach, J.) Order granting motion to dismiss in Vidal et al v. The Hershey Company , FLSD No. 24-60831 (9/19/2025)(Damian, J.) "Your Cheat Sheet To The 2025 General Elections," Daniel Nichanian, Bolts (10/1/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
Trump's All Out Assault on Immigrants Continues in Incompetent but Horrifying Fashion 1:01:37

12天之前1:01:37

1:01:37

OA1202 - We are pleased to welcome American Immigration Council Senior Fellow Aaron Reichlin-Melnick for this unique conversation between a practitioner and a policy expert. The AIC is one of the country's leading sources of information and advocacy on US immigration matters, and Aaron watches and comments on these issues like no one else out there right now. Topics include, among many other things, how the Trump administration keeps getting in its own way on immigration issues, how the law of who can be released from ICE custody on bond has been radically reinterpreted within the past few months, and our hopes for the future in this critical moment for American immigration law. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick's bio on the American Immigration Council website Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on Bluesky Donate to support the American Immigration Counsel…

1
Trump Says DOJ Should Pay Him $230 Million Because Why the F*** Not at This Point 57:43

15天之前57:43

57:43

OA1201 - This Rapid Response Friday, Matt and Jenessa play a few rounds of "Can They REALLY Do That?", with topics including: The legal mechanism and filings behind Trump's $230 million demand for DOJ having the audacity for investigating him for crimes that he did Arizona's lawsuit against House Speaker Mike Johnson asking a DC federal court to require him to seat incoming Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva after her election DOJ's first-ever "Antifa" terrorism indictment Finally, in today's footnote Jenessa reports back from her recent experience sitting for the federal patent bar. Donald Trump's Form 95 seeking damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act for the FBI's execution of a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago (filed 8/7/2024) Transcript of former FBI agent Steven D'Antuono's testimony to the House Judiciary Committee (6/7/2023) Complaint in Arizona v. U.S. House of Representatives (filed 10/21/2025) Martin v. U.S. , 605 U.S. _____ (6/12/2025) Powell v. McCormack , 395 U.S. 486 (1969) Indictment with additional "Antifa"-related charges against Autumn Hill & Zachary Evetts (10/15/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

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We need a sensible compromise between "no kings" and "Trump is king" 1:03:55

18天之前1:03:55

1:03:55

VR11 - Today on Vapid Response Wednesday: Thomas, Lydia, and Matt review some of the worst takes to last weekend's 2700+ "No Kings" events around the U.S. But first, we savor an instant classic of an amuse douche : a recent video of a real-life encounter between a drunk-driving ICE officer and actual law enforcement. We then learn why the National Review is definitely not mad about the No Kings events going so well, and why House Majority Leader Steve Scalise IS mad about the raving socialists of the radical left who have shut down a government full of social programs which Republicans would otherwise absolutely want to fully fund if only they could. Full 30 minute video of ICE officer's DUI arrest (August 2025) Democrats Look to Rewrite the Narrative with 'No Kings' Protests, Brittany Bernstein, National Review (10/20/2025) LEADER STEVE SCALISE: Schumer shutdown hurts families while Democrats rally in DC | Fox News (10/19/2025) "Videos Show 'No Kings' Protests Around U.S., World," CBS News (10/19/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
Polygraphs and the Limits of Scientific Evidence in Court 48:25

20天之前48:25

48:25

OA1200 - We've got another great law and science episode for ya! Are polygraphs admissible? Do they work? Matt and Jenessa talk about the history, law, and science of polygraphs, and how criminal courts treat scientific testimony in general. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
They're Going to End the Voting Rights Act. But at Least We Got to Hear KBJ Murder a Guy in Court 1:03:41

23天之前1:03:41

1:03:41

OA1199 - Voting rights expert Jenessa Seymour takes us through this week's oral arguments in one of the most important cases before the Supreme Court this term: Louisiana v. Callais , which has the potential to end some of the most important protections in the Voting Rights Act and allow states to openly racially gerrymander their electoral districts. Also discussed: a related New York state case which may be affected by Callais , and a footnote on what one lying Chicago cop was willing to do to get out of dozens of traffic and speeding tickets--and how actual justice has finally caught up with him. Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court docket Oral arguments in Louisiana v Callais (10/15/2025) 52 U.S.C. § 10301 (Sec 2 of the Voting Rights Act) Thornburg v Gingles , 478 U.S. 30 (1986) Rucho v. Common Cause 588 U.S. 684 (2019) Full text of NY's John L. Lewis Voting Act Submit a comment on the Election Assistance Commission's proposal to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voting registration form "Chicago Cop Who Falsely Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Dozens of Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty but Avoids Prison," Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen , ProPublica (10/2/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
Atlantic publishes Caitlyn Flanagan's love letter to Bari Weiss for some reason 1:24:56

25天之前1:24:56

1:24:56

It's Vapid Response Wednesday, and Thomas, Lydia, and Matt are back to take apart more bad-faith nonsense from some of the worst people in public life. First up: The Atlantic 's Caitlyn Flanagan on why it is totally fine that her good friend Bari Weiss is taking over one of the most prestigious news organizations in the United States after running a glorified blog which has been liberated from any reasonable idea of journalistic standards. MAGA law professor Johnathan Turley then completely fails to explain why capital-A "Antifa"--a set of tactics and ideas which he has previously acknowledged in writing is not actually a "group" and should not be treated as one--is actually a group which should be treated as one. Finally, Newsweek- ruiner Josh Hammer makes his second appearance on Vapid Response Wednesday as he responds to some weird nonsense from Candace Owens. " Don't Bet Against Bari Weiss ," Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic (10/7/25) " They Became Symbols for Gazan Starvation. But All 12 Suffer from Other Health Problems ," Olivia Reingold and Tanya Lukyanova, The Free Press " Antifa Denial: How a Violent Anti-Free Speech Group Became a Non-Entity in American Politics ," Jonathan Turley, JonathanTurley.org (10/13/2025) " Declaring Antifa A Terrorist Organization Could Achieve Its Anti-Free Speech Agenda," Jonathan Turley (6/4/2020) " Are Antifa Members Domestic Terrorists? Background on Antifa and Federal Classification of Their Actions ," Congressional Research Service (6/9/2020) " Antiracist Skinheads and the Birth of Anti-Racist Action: An Interview With Mic Crenshaw ," Kelly Hayes, OrganizingMyThoughts.org (4/8/2024) " Josh Hammer Responds Directly to Candace Owens's Attack on Him ," Youtube (10/10/2025)…

1
The Supreme Court Case That Stopped School Integration 51:33

27天之前51:33

51:33

OA1198 - In this very special episode, Matt catches up with his Constitutional law professor for the first time in 23 years! We follow up with our closer look at the science behind Brown v Board (OA1186) with University of Michigan Law professor Michelle Adams, who takes us through the fascinating and ultimately tragic story of how the promise of Brown ended twenty years later in the struggle to overcome de facto segregation in her hometown of Detroit. Professor Adams has literally written the book on this subject, and if you enjoyed this conversation be sure to pick up her recent masterwork The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North . The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North, Prof. Michelle Adams (2024) Michelle Adams | University of Michigan Law School Milliken v. Bradley , 418 U.S. 717 (1974) " Mapping Inequality ," University of Richmond (interactive maps of redlining in major US cities) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
The National Emergency Continues to Nationally Emerge 59:45

30天之前59:45

59:45

OA1197 - The National Guard is being federalized and sent into cities that the President doesn't like against the explicit will of state governors and local populations. Matt covers as much as we know from the legal developments around this ongoing national emergency, and Jenessa shares some good news which is already coming out of NY's recent recently-enhanced equal protection amendment. Finally, in today's footnote: how do you ticket a car from a moving violation when no one is driving it? NOTE: since the time of this recording, a federal judge has found that the Trump administration's stated reasons for deploying federal troops in Chicago are "simply unreliable" and blocked the deployment of the National Guard. More next week on this vital story. "Department of Defense Security For the Protection of Homeland Security Functions," The White House (June 7, 2025) Affidavit of Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief of Operations Craig Dobson, filed 9/29/2025 Judge Immergut's injunction in Trump v. Oregon dated 10/4/2025 9th Circuit's order staying Judge Breyer's injunction dated 6/19/2025 Memo from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dated 9/28/2025 "For Trump Administration, Fighting Crime Takes a Backseat to Immigration Arrests," The Marshall Project, Beth Schwarzapfel (10/4/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law !…

1
Jake Tapper on his new book, and the controversy surrounding his last one 1:24:48

5 weeks之前1:24:48

1:24:48

We welcome CNN anchor Jake Tapper to discuss his latest book Race Against Terror , a nonfiction legal thriller set in the long-ago world of 2011 in which the U.S. Department of Justice is dedicated to vigorously defending national security through strict adherence to due process and the rule of law. Also discussed: the current state of the media, why the world needed a book about Joe Biden's mental decline which was released within days of Donald Trump being sworn in for his second term, and why Jake is no longer on speaking terms with the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Check out Jake's latest book Race Against Terror , out this week anywhere you buy or listen to books! You can watch this episode on YouTube , too! Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War , Jake Tapper (2025) Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again , Jake Tapper (2025) Lynyrd Skynyrd's Uncivil War , VH1 (2002)(hosted by Jake Tapper) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

1
That Time the Supreme Court BANNED PRAYER in Schools... Except They Didn't 57:21

5 weeks之前57:21

57:21

OA1196 - This week in our continuing Still Good Law series, Matt and Jenessa take on the 1963 Supreme Court case which is still believed to hold the record for angering the most Americans at the same time: 1963's Engel v. Vitale . Find out why a decision which even the Warren Court's conservative justices did not see as particularly controversial to keep New York school administrators from publicly making one 22-word statement to students every morning kicked off a firestorm which is still at the heart of the American culture wars. Engel v. Vitale , 370 U.S. 421 (1963) Engel v. Vitale ( New York Supreme Court, 1960) Everson v. Board of Education , 330 U.S. 1 (1947) Massachusetts General Law - Part IV, Title I, Chapter 272, Section 36 (Blasphemy statute) GOD, CIVIC VIRTUE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY: RECONSTRUCTING ENGEL , Corinna Barrett Lain, Stanford Law Review (2015)…

1
Stephen Miller Is Just Having People Killed Now 51:12

5 weeks之前51:12

51:12

OA1195 - How much of the federal government has actually shut down, and why? We explore the truth behind the spin, and Matt breaks the exclusive story of how at least one part of the executive branch appears to be illegally operating at full capacity. We then then connect some of the most fast-moving stories of the past few weeks to bring out the terrifying relationship between the obvious legal issues around the Trump administration's threats to invade Venezuela, underreported executive actions on "Antifa" and "domestic terrorism" and their broad potential consequences, and the Trump's recent threat to use US cities as "training grounds" for US troops. Then: good news! Jenessa shares a win on voting rights out of Pennsylvania, and Matt celebrates a resounding victory for the free speech rights of non-citizen students like Rumeysa Ozturk and Mahmoud Khalil from a Reagan-appointed federal judge. Finally, today's footnote confirms that the Wu Tang Clan is as a matter of law indeed nothing to fuck with. " Stephen Miller takes leading role in strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats," The Guardian (9/29/2025) " Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists" – The White House (1/20/2025) " Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of The United States by Tren De Aragua" – The White House (3/15/2025) " Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization" – The White House (9/22/2025) " Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," The White House (9/25/2025) Boston senior federal judge William Young's order in AAUP v. Rubio (9/30/2025) Memorandum & Order Granting and denying parts of Martin Shkreli's motion to dismiss in PleasrDAO v. Shkreli (9/25/2025):…

Opening Arguments

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Take It From Two Defense Attorneys - DO NOT TALK TO THE COPS 50:10

6 weeks之前50:10

50:10

OA1194 - NY defense attorney Liz Skeen joins to talk about the evolution (or devolution?) or our Miranda rights in the past several decades. How does an actual criminal defense attorney who deals with these issues every day think about them?

Opening Arguments

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Could Tylenol Sue Trump and RFK Jr. for Libel? 55:41

6 weeks之前55:41

55:41

OA1193 - Could Tylenol sue RFK Jr. for libel? Does the pressure the FCC put on Disney/ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel constitute a First Amendment violation? Is the Trump administration really going to charge rural hospitals $100,000 for the privilege of being able to hire foreign doctors? In today's Rapid Response Friday we answer all of these recent patron questions and more, and Jenessa shares a personal footnote about her decision to voluntarily take the most specialized bar exam in the US legal system. The Campaign for Accountability's bar complaint a gainst FCC chairman Brendan Carr Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers , (Presidential Proclamation dated 9/20/2025) US Patent and Trademark Office bar registration page…

Opening Arguments

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HBO released a new Adnan Syed doc episode and it is shockingly dishonest 1:49:05

6 weeks之前1:49:05

1:49:05

We watched the newly-released final episode of HBO's The Case Against Adnan Syed , and we have questions. Are the producers really trying to pin the murder of Hae Min Lee on a Black man with obvious mental health issues who was already cleared as a suspect--and did they really need to show the world a fully-nude photo of him to make that case? What is the story that they are trying to tell here, and just how far off is it from the truth? From the libelously deceptive cold open to the slyly deceptive summary of Syed's post- Serial legal proceedings and beyond, Matt brings his post-conviction expertise to make the case against The Case Against Adnan Syed . FOOTNOTES SIO354: "Serial's Adnan Syed Conviction Reinstated--What Happened? (w/Matt Cameron) (4/4/2023) OA1067: "Adnan Syed Remains a Convicted Murderer" (9/9/2024) State's Attorney Ivan Bates's memorandum in support of his Motion to Withdraw the previously-filed Motion to Vacate Judgment 85-page Court of Appeals decision in Lee v. State reinstating Adnan Syed's conviction (3/28/2023) State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's Sep 14, 2022 motion to vacate Adnan Syed's conviction Judge Phinn's September 19, 2022 order on motion to vacate Attorney General Brian Frosh's statement re: SA Mosby's motion to vacate Attorney General's fiery response to Adnan Syed's motion to disqualify AG's office from representing the state of Maryland in this appeal More on the feud between the Attorney General and Baltimore City State's Attorney over the Adnan Syed conviction: "Maryland AG questions integrity of process used to exonerate Adnan Syed," Maryland Daily Record (10/25/2022) Full transcription of prosecutor's handwritten note which Mosby alleged constituted Brady evidence and more information in this Baltimore Banner story: "Was Adnan Syed Note Misinterpreted?" Baltimore Banner , (11/1/2022) Appellant Young Lee's brief in Lee v. State Defendant Adnan Syed's brief in Lee v. State 2019 Court of Appeals decision finding ineffective assistance of prior counsel in Adnan Syed's case, but not enough prejudice to justify a new trial: State v. Syed :: 2019 :: Maryland Court of Appeals Decisions Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law !…

Opening Arguments

1
KATZ RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME 57:18

7 weeks之前57:18

57:18

OA1192 - This week in Still Good Law: Katz v. U.S. , the 1967 Warren Court case which on its face decided that the Fourth Amendment may apply to a public phone booth. But that's hardly all: the federal prosecution of nationally-famous bookie Charles Katz also completely changed the entire framework for how U.S. courts understand and interpret the law of searches and seizures and completely upended the concept of Fourth Amendment privacy as it had been understood up until that time. Matt provides the background on Katz and how this case made it to the Supreme Court, Jenessa considers the mental health benefits of being left alone by the government, and we talk through how important this vital holding might still be at a time when we have all given up so many of our privacy rights just by living in 2025. Katz v. U.S. (1967) Goldman v.US (1942) Silverman v. US (1967) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

Opening Arguments

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The Kirkstag Fire 1:03:07

7 weeks之前1:03:07

1:03:07

OA1191 - In today's Rapid Response Friday, we examine some of the legal questions raised as the Trump administration throws as much political capital as possible behind the recent assassination of Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk and their implications for the future of the First Amendment rights they claim to revere Kirk for championing. Is there any legal basis for Trump to designate a "domestic terrorist group," let alone one that even his FBI has previously admitted doesn't exist? Matt looks back to the first Trump term to try to understand what is coming. We then examine how the states are getting around the FDA's limitations on the COVID-19 vaccine and the latest in Trump's litigious war on the media before closing things out with a fun footnote on the only other time in US history that a US President has sued someone for libel. Independent media matters more than ever now that mainstream media is compromised beyond any ability to report the truth about this administration. Support the show, join the community, and enjoy bonus content and ad-free listening at patreon.com/law! Don't forget to leave a 5-star review and share the show with your friends! Tyler Robinson indictment (filed 9/16/2025) 18 USC 2331 (federal definition of "domestic terrorism") " Memorandum on Inadmissibility of Persons Affiliated with Antifa Based on Organized Criminal Activity" (1/5/2021) "Documents Show Trump Officials Used Secret Terrorism Unit to Question Lawyers at the Border," Dara Lind, ProPublica (5/14/2021) "Migrant Caravan in Tijuana with ties to El Paso Texas," DHS Field Information Report (10/18/2019) " Trump v. New York Times Company " (complaint filed 9/15/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

Opening Arguments

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Charlie Kirk sucked and we won't be pretending otherwise 1:02:44

7 weeks之前1:02:44

1:02:44

VR 7 - Part 1 of 2. Vapid Response Wednesday has been blessed with a surplus of truly awful takes in the days following the murder of MAGA luminary Charlie Kirk. After a brief reminder of who this man actually was in his own words, we go on to see who has achieved honors in categories ranging from Worst Obituary to Most Pretentious Response and beyond. (Next up: more of the worst, but also some of the best responses to this moment.) You can also watch this episode on YouTube ! Part 2 is available exclusively on YouTube and Patreon ! "Charlie Kirk: The American Socrates," Owen Anderson, The Blaze (9/14/25) "Je Suis Charlie Kirk," The Editors , The Free Press (9/12/25) "Charlie Kirk's Assassination Should Herald the End of the American Left," John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist (9/12/25) "He May Have Pulled the Trigger But Charlie Kirk's Suspected Killer Didn't 'Act Alone'," M.D. Kittle, The Federalist (9/12/25) "We must not posthumously sanitize Charlie Kirk's hateful life," Erin Reed, The Advocate (9/11/25) "Charlie Kirk's Legacy Deserves No Mourning," Elizabeth Spiers, The Nation (9/12/25) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law !…

Opening Arguments

1
Miranda v. Arizona, and the Fascinating Science of False Confessions 1:05:42

8 weeks之前1:05:42

1:05:42

OA1190 - "You have the right to remain silent." Anyone who grew up on American crime dramas can recite the rest of these famous warnings from memory, but do you know the whole story of Miranda v. Arizona (1966)? In today's entry in our "Still Good Law" series Matt and Jenessa voluntarily waive their rights, cautiously accept a cigarette and a Styrofoam cup of bad coffee from an alcoholic cop with a dark past, and spill everything they know about the most important criminal case in Supreme Court history. Matt provides the background on Ernesto Miranda's literal life (and death) of crime and the circumstances of his arrest, interrogation, and appeal to the Warren Court while Jenessa breaks down the science of false confessions and why not just having but knowing our Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights is so important for all of us. Oral arguments and decision in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Miranda: The Story of America's Right to Remain Silent, Gary Stuart (2008) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law !…

Opening Arguments

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It's Still the Shadow Docket, Despite Kavanaugh's Pathetic Rebrand Attempt 56:59

8 weeks之前56:59

56:59

OA1189 - The Supreme Court's next term may not start until October, but their infamous shadow--sorry, "interim"--docket is in rare form as they issue snap decisions on everything from exactly where one 14-year-old boy can pee to just how openly racist ICE gets to be. Matt and Jenessa review which major precedents the conservative majority is ignoring to enable Trump's worst policies this week before getting on to some Epstein-related legal updates and a radical new development from the Board of Immigration Appeals with massive implications for Trump's mass deportation plans. Finally, Matt drops a footnote to address one of our nation's least pressing legal questions: is it really true that a wedding in Kentucky can be legally officiated by a dead bear once described as "filled to the brim with cocaine"? SCOTUS order in Trump v. Slaughter (9/8/2025) SCOTUS order (with Kavanaugh concurrence and Sotomayor dissent) in Noem v. Vasquez-Perdomo (9/8/25) Matter of Yajure Hurtado , 21 I&N 216 (BIA 2025) Kentucky Revised Statute 402.070 P.S. Matt messed up his audio and is very sorry about it!…

Opening Arguments

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LAM1009: My Cousin Vinny 54:52

8 weeks之前54:52

54:52

Just because everything else is terrible out there right now, we treated ourselves to our second consecutive Law'd Awesome Movie. By popular patron demand: it's My Cousin Vinny ! We had a great time talking about this one. Actual New York Italian-American Jenessa Seymour joins to provide dead-ass balls accurate cultural context for one of the greatest Brooklyn couples ever put to film, and Matt shares his perspective as both an actual practicing courtroom lawyer and a guy who is weirdly obsessed with end credits songs that tell you about the movie you just watched. Thanks again to patrons for this one! My Cousin Vinny , Dale Launer (1992)(full script)(PDF) "'What is a Yute?' An Oral History of 'My Cousin Vinny,' " Andy Greene, Rolling Stone (3/7/22)…

Opening Arguments

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Do You Swear You're Not A Subversive Person? 54:53

9 weeks之前54:53

54:53

Continuing their "Good Law" series, Matt and Jenessa talk about Baggett v. Bullitt. This case held that "a State cannot require an employee to take an unduly vague oath containing a promise of future conduct at the risk of prosecution for perjury or loss of employment, particularly where the exercise of First Amendment freedoms may thereby be deterred." Jenessa gives a fascinating science breakdown on cognitive dissonance and what the effect of these vague oaths actually is. It's counter-intuitive and very interesting!…

Opening Arguments

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BREAKING: Federal Courts Correctly Notice Color of Sky, Pope's Religious Affiliation 1:01:52

9 weeks之前1:01:52

1:01:52

For this week's Rapid Response Friday we take up three major judicial rulings pushing back against executive overreach on three completely different topics: removals under the Alien Enemies Act, the use of the National Guard to conduct domestic law enforcement, and the imposition of tariffs as an executive action under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Also: it turns out a DC grand jury really can't indict a ham sandwich, and why Brazil is so much better at prosecuting insurrectionists than the US is. Fifth Circuit's decision in W.M.M. et al (9/2/25) Judge Charles Breyer's decision in Newson v. Trump ( 9/2/25) Federal Circuit's decision in V.O.S. Selections v. Trump (8/29/25)…

Opening Arguments

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Douchebag Ben Shapiro knock-offs keep thinking they're smarter than Ketanji Brown Jackson 1:12:08

10 weeks之前1:12:08

1:12:08

VR6 - For today's Vapid Response Wednesday, Thomas, Lydia, and Matt review two examples from a newly-popular genre of lazy right wing op-eds: insecure white guys complaining about Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. What is with these losers who are so obsessed with trying to prove that one of the most qualified nominees to the high court in our lifetimes isn't fit for the job? We take dark-money sugar baby Josh Hammer up on the joke to compare his life achievements to someone who began her SCOTUS career with four times as much courtroom experience as John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Clarence Thomas, and Amy Coney Barrett combined --before moving on to trying to even understand what Federalist weirdo Shawn Fleetwood thinks he is saying. "Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is an Insult to the Supreme Court," Josh Hammer, Newsweek (7/1/2025) "KBJ Could Learn a Few Lessons in 'Professionalism' From Justice Barrett," Shawn Fleetwood, The Federalist (8/20/2025) Ketanji Brown Jackson's career timeline from the Southern Poverty Law Center (4/7/22) Watch on YouTube !…

Opening Arguments

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Brown v. Board v. Science 59:31

10 weeks之前59:31

59:31

OA1186 - We continue our series on some of our favorite Warren-era Supreme Court decisions with the one Warren-era decision--and very likely the only Supreme Court decision that is still good law--that most people can name from memory. The desegregation of American schools in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) stands today as one of the greatest moments of justice in American legal history, but did you know that it was also an equally important moment for social science? Matt tees up the legal and historical context and Dr. Jenessa Seymour, Esq. brings her unique background as both a lawyer and a PhD in neuroscience to provide a singular perspective on the science behind Brown and what it has meant for both law and science in the 71 years since then. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and Its Troubled Legacy (Pivotal Moments in American History) , James T. Patterson (2001)…

Opening Arguments

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Did a Federal Judge Really Just Shutter Alligator Alcatraz? 1:01:40

10 weeks之前1:01:40

1:01:40

OA1185 - The rule of law has never been put more to the test in this country, and we do our best to keep up with at least a few of the most important decent developments. We begin with a brief review of the current status of wrongfully-deported Salvadoran asylum seeker Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Why is the Trump administration desperately trying to re-deport this Central American man whom they already fully admit was deported to hell by mistake to… Uganda? Matt explains. Then: Did a federal judge really just shutter Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz"? We consider the history of this surprisingly significant swampland and why an environmental challenge to its existence was so much easier to win than one based in due process, while also celebrating a major win for native rights. Another major presidential first this week: for the first time in US history, the President has claimed the authority to fire a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Could this one decision really have global economic consequences? How much does it matter that Trump has done literally the one thing that the Supreme Court has ever told him * not* to do? We review some basics to try to understand the full magnitude of what this all means for our current moment before moving on to today's footnote: an outstanding decision from a Virginia federal judge which should stand as a model for how the judiciary can stand up to American fascism. Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Motion to Dismiss Based on Vindictive and Selective Prosecution Abrego Garcia habeas docket SCOTUS shadow docket order in Trump v. Wilcox (5/22/2025) Judge Williams's order closing "Alligator Alcatraz" (8/21/2025) Order granting motion to dismiss in U.S. v. Russell (8/26/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!…

Opening Arguments

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Maxwell's Silver Yammer, Part 2 1:53:18

11 weeks之前1:53:18