Advisory Opinions The Dispatch
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Advisory Opinions is a new podcast from The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur have a weekly conversation about the law, culture, and why it matters.
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The 3-3-3 Body Problem
No Rahimi decision yet … but Sarah and David have the next best thing: math! The two dive into Sarah’s recent POLITICO piece in which she and Dean Jens used data to analyze the Supreme Court.
The Agenda:
—The three-body problem
—Was Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization radical?
—Moneyballing the court
—“Right to counsel” at the 9th Circuit
—Racial discrimination in contracting
—Test cases are test cases
—Judge Newsom’s “unusual” concurrence
—Judge Easterbrook on fonts
—The health of the Constitution
Show Notes:
—Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum
—Connelly v. United States
—Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe
—National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo
—Allen v. Milligan
—New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen
—Creative LLC v. Elenis
—Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
—Chief Justice John Roberts’ thoughts on AI
—Pacific Legal Foundation
Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including Sarah’s Collision newsletter, weekly livestreams, and other members-only content—click here.
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Will President Biden Pardon His Son?
Sarah and David detail Hunter Biden’s legal predicament and discuss the impact it will have on the political landscape. Is this coercive bargaining in action?
The Agenda:
—Food poisoning etiquette
—Hunter Biden's federal case
—Prosecuting Donald Trump
—Abortion opinion out of Texas Supreme Court
—Insights into the Supreme Court’s decision-making process
—SCOTUS watch
Show Notes:
—Steve Calabresi for the Volokh Conspiracy
—Sarah's piece for the New York Times
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The Rights the Constitution Doesn’t Tell You About
Akhil Amar, Sterling Professor of Law at Yale University, joins Sarah and David to read between the lines of the Constitution to find and define unenumerated rights. Be sure to check out his books, America's Unwritten Constitution: The Precedents and Principles We Live By and The Words that Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840. And stick around after the interview for a brief Alito flag update.
—Akhil Amar’s two-tier theory of jurisdictions
—AO episode with Judge Newsom mentioning unenumerated rights
—Ezra Klein's article on the Second Amendment
—District of Columbia v. Heller
—McDonald v. City of Chicago
—New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen
—Akhil Amar's podcast
—NRA v. Vullo decision
—Casey Mattox's tweet on NRA v. Vullo
—SCOTUS clears the way for Louisiana to use a new congressional map
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Indictment Watch Live: Trump's Guilty Verdict
In an emergency live dispatch, Sarah and David discuss the historic verdict in Trump's New York hush money case. Expect to hear sentencing expectations, appeal efforts, and how voters will reach.
Show Notes:
-Mike and Sarah’s Collision newsletter on the outcome of the case
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On Racial Redistricting
Sarah gives us a taste of her interview with retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer before she and David dive into the latest SCOTUS ruling on racial gerrymandering.
The Agenda:
—Justice Breyer and the Major Questions Doctrine
—Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP
—Conduct vs. speech and Morgan Wallen’s Nashville bar
—Random swipes at text, history, and tradition from David
—Approving a SCOTUS nominee from opposing parties?
—Amending the amendment process
—Codifying the judicial filibuster
—Justice Samuel Alito flag watch
Show Notes:
—Previous AO episode on voting rights in Alabama
—City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising of Austin, LLC
—Equal Protection Clause
—Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
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When to Recuse
Is Justice Alito a secret election denier? Is his wife chronically online? Were these allegations the point of a New York Times article about hanging the American flag upside down? Or is this a nothingburger? Sarah and David discuss.
The Agenda:
—Appearances of impropriety
—Husbands: What would you do if someone called your wife the C-word?
—Asserting executive privilege over audio recordings
—No, Zina Bash did not make a white power symbol
—Nixon tapes and Biden’s interview
—The opposite of a nationwide injuction
—Tacos are sandwiches
—Tacos are not sandwiches
—David on how to deal with bullies
Show Notes:
—Results: ACLI Capital Challenge
—Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Trump's taxes
—Judge Stephen Reinhardt refuses to recuse in 9th Circuit case
—"Trump faker" accusation
—Hur/Biden transcripts
—Akhil Amar: "Second Thoughts"
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