The Unscripted Order Podcast

The Unscripted Order Podcast

Two brothers, B. James Smalls and D. Lamont Bugg, from the 757, discussing life, the law, and everything in between.

  1. 3d ago

    Wait, My Divorce and Custody Case Are in Two Different Courts? | Family Law: JDR vs. Circuit Court | The Unscripted Order Podcast Episode 23

    Divorce in circuit court. Custody in JDR court. Can that really happen? Two Virginia judges explain exactly how it works.In Episode 23 of The Unscripted Order Podcast, Judge Bugg (Circuit Court) and Judge Smalls (JDR court) talk about the area of law they both handle regularly: family law, including custody, visitation, support, etc. They explain which court hears what, why an appeal from JDR court is a brand-new trial, how pendente lite (temporary) orders work, and what appealing really costs in time and money. They close with two Off the Record stories from their private practice days.🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts📸 Follow us on Instagram: [handle]🔔 Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode⚖️ DISCLAIMERNothing in this podcast is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Everything presented is for information and educational purposes only. If you have a legal question, consult an attorney in your area who practices that area of law.#UnscriptedOrder #FamilyLaw #BestInterestoftheChild

    Wait, My Divorce and Custody Case Are in Two Different Courts? | Family Law: JDR vs. Circuit Court | The Unscripted Order Podcast Episode 23

  2. Sep 10

    Never Picked, But Chosen | A Conversation with BK Fulton (Lawyer, Engineer, Media CEO) | The Unscripted Order Ep. 22

    Episode 22: We sit down with BK Fulton — attorney, engineer, and media CEO — for a conversation that spans faith, failure, mentorship, and building an empire that includes twenty feature films, four #1 Broadway shows, four Tony Awards, a Smithsonian Laureate Medal winner, a Sloan Fellow, a National Book Award, and an Oscar Micheaux Award. BK shares the story of how a chance encounter with a book at Virginia Tech changed the trajectory of his life, his 60-year plan to retire at 50, the near-fatal medical crisis that tested his faith, and the poem he wrote at 16 that became a children's book decades later. This is a masterclass in purpose, resilience, and choosing love in a world that doesn't always love you back. 🎙️ Hosted by Judge Brian Smalls & Judge Bugg Nothing in this podcast is intended to give legal advice or form an attorney-client relationship. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes 📱 Follow us on Instagram 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts #UnscriptedOrder #Chosen #BKFulton

    Never Picked, But Chosen | A Conversation with BK Fulton (Lawyer, Engineer, Media CEO) | The Unscripted Order Ep. 22

  3. Aug 27

    The Trailblazer: Chief Justice Cleo Powell Makes History | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 21

    Chief Justice Cleo Powell has sat on every level of the Virginia court system — and made history at every stop. Raised in rural Brunswick County in a four-room house with no indoor plumbing, she became the first African American woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Virginia, and in 2026 was sworn in as its Chief Justice — only the second woman and first African American to hold that role.In this episode of The Unscripted Order Podcast, hosts Judge Smalls and Judge Bugg sit down with Chief Justice Powell for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about her journey from a segregated elementary school to the highest court in the Commonwealth — the mentors who shaped her, the phone call that launched her judicial career, what it means to "lower the volume" in an increasingly divided legal system, and the advice she'd give to the judges who come after her.This is Chief Justice Powell's first-ever podcast appearance.🎙️ New episodes of The Unscripted Order Podcast drop regularly — subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss it.Follow us:Instagram: @UnscriptedOrderAvailable on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTubeDisclaimer: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice or forms an attorney-client relationship. This content is for educational and informational purposes only.

    The Trailblazer: Chief Justice Cleo Powell Makes History | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 21

  4. Aug 14

    Then & Now: One Year, Unscripted | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 20

    Twenty episodes. One year. Zero scripts.In this special anniversary episode, Judge Brian Smalls and Judge Bugg look back at everything that got The Unscripted Order Podcast here — from a nervous, fumbling Episode 1 recorded in a loft with a laptop camera, to sit-downs with Chief Justice Bernard Goodwyn, Dean A. Benjamin Spencer, the Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee, and even their own mothers. They talk about why they started the podcast, what's changed, what they've learned, and where the show is headed next — including an upcoming conversation with current Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Cleo Powell.Two judges, no script, and a whole lot of unscripted moments. Thank you to everyone who rode along up to this point — here's to what's next.🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications for new episodes.Follow The Unscripted Order Podcast:Instagram: @UnscriptedOrderSpotify & Apple Podcasts: search "The Unscripted Order Podcast"Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this episode is intended as legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Anyone with a legal question should consult an attorney licensed in their jurisdiction.

    Then & Now: One Year, Unscripted | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 20

  5. Jul 30

    Nash Vegas: Two Conferences, One Order | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 19

    Episode 19 of The Unscripted Order Podcast is a little different — we recorded this one on the road, live from Nashville, where B. Smalls and D. Bugg ended up at two completely different conferences at the same time without even planning it.B. Smalls was in town for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Conference, and D. Bugg was at All Rise — the national conference for drug court, veterans treatment docket, and mental health docket courts. In this abbreviated episode, they break down what they took away from each: trauma-informed decision-making, how judges should weigh clinical recommendations from treatment teams, and the substance-use trends judges need to know about that don't always show up on a standard drug test.Plus — Nashville stories, a Michigan callback bit that's become a running joke, and a teaser about a story from a Nashville rooftop bar that they're saving for another day.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing discussed here constitutes legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. If you have a legal question, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.Follow along:Instagram: @UnscriptedOrderApple Podcasts: Search Unscripted OrderSpotify: Search Unscripted OrderYouTube:  @UnscriptedOrderPodcast  #UnscriptedOrder #Nashville #JuvenileCourt #RecoveryCourt

    Nash Vegas: Two Conferences, One Order | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 19

  6. Jul 16

    "Hey Judge": What That Title Really Means | The Unscripted Order Podcast Episode 18

    Five+ years on the bench, and hearing someone call you "Judge" outside the courtroom can still stop you in your tracks. In this episode, Judge Smalls and Judge Bugg get personal about what that title means — in the hallway, in line at Chicken Salad Chick, and even at the U.S. Supreme Court.We dig into judicial temperament, "black robe disease," procedural justice, and how you keep the job from going to your head — plus the judges who've done it right, the ones who haven't, and how you "derobe" at the end of the day.Stick around for a brand new Off The Record segment — Would You Rather, Judge Edition.🎙️ Follow The Unscripted Order Podcast:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnscriptedOrderPodcast📸 Instagram: @UnscriptedOrder🎵 Spotify: Search The Unscripted Order Podcast🍎 Apple Podcasts: Search The Unscripted Order Podcast#UnscriptedOrderPodcast #HeyJudge #FromTheBottomToTheBench #JudicialTemperamentDISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast is intended to create an attorney-client relationship or provide legal advice. If you have a legal question, please consult an attorney licensed in your area. This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only.

    "Hey Judge": What That Title Really Means | The Unscripted Order Podcast Episode 18

  7. Jul 2

    The Adrenaline of Excellence | The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 17

    What does it take to go from sweeping the streets of public housing in Southeast DC to sitting on the federal bench for over 25 years? Judge Gerald Bruce Lee doesn't just answer that question — he lives it.In this episode of The Unscripted Order Podcast, Judge Brian Smalls and Judge Dontae' Bugg sit down with retired United States District Court Judge Gerald Bruce Lee of the Eastern District of Virginia — one of the most decorated and beloved figures in the history of Northern Virginia's legal community. Judge Lee takes us from Barry Farms to American University, from a counselor who told him he wasn't "college material" to a career that included presiding over espionage, terrorism, and death penalty cases at the highest levels of the federal judiciary.But this conversation goes far beyond the resume. Judge Lee opens up about the three times he ran for judge before winning, the courage it took to block a segregationist judicial candidate just two years into practice, the personal cost of prioritizing ambition over family, and the mentorship philosophy that has shaped generations of lawyers and judges across Virginia and beyond.He also shares what he calls the adrenaline of excellence — and once you hear him define it in his own words, you'll never describe pre-performance nerves the same way again.This is the episode we've been building toward. Do not miss it.**In this episode:**- Growing up in Southeast DC and the program that changed everything- "You are not college material" — the Ms. Avery story- Running for judge three times and what kept him going- Blocking a segregationist candidate two years into practice- Transitioning from advocate to neutral — the emotional weight of the robe- Mandatory minimums and the courage to speak truth inside the system- Lee's Laws — wear a watch, carry a notebook- "I was intentional about my ambition, not about my life"- Introducing interns as "my lawyer" and why it mattered- The adrenaline of excellence — defined by the man who coined it- "It's your watch now" — a passing of the torch moment**Subscribe to The Unscripted Order Podcast:**🎙 Spotify: Search The Unscripted Order Podcast🍎 Apple Podcasts: Search The Unscripted Order Podcast📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/6TEeE3NDeBs📸 Instagram: @UnscriptedOrder*The Unscripted Order Podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. If you have a legal question, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

    The Adrenaline of Excellence | The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 17

  8. Jul 1

    The Shingle: Dos & Don'ts of Hanging Out Your Own Shingle | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 16

    Two judges. Two mics. No guests. No filter.Episode 16 of The Unscripted Order Podcast is here — and this one is for every attorney, entrepreneur, consultant, freelancer, or anyone who has ever thought about betting on themselves."The Shingle" is our deep dive into what it actually takes to hang out your own shingle — the dos, the don'ts, and the stuff nobody puts in the curriculum.Judge Smalls and Judge Bugg both ran their own practices before taking the bench. In this episode they hold nothing back — from the financial realities of day one, to the clients you should have never taken, to what they now see from the bench that tells them someone didn't have the right support when they started.And we kept the mics hot for the Off the Record segment. You'll want to stay till the end.─────────────────────────────────────TOPICS COVERED:─────────────────────────────────────✅ How both judges made the leap from employed attorney to solo practice✅ Building your referral network before you need it✅ Why knowing your lane matters more than taking every case✅ The financial reality of starting with nothing✅ The $1,500 case that lasted two and a half years✅ Why your reputation is your only real asset✅ The cash flow anxiety nobody warns you about✅ Mental health and the hidden cost of going solo✅ What impressive solo practitioners do differently in the courtroom✅ Advice for anyone sitting on the fence right now─────────────────────────────────────THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF:─────────────────────────────────────→ You're an attorney considering going solo or small firm→ You're an entrepreneur building something from scratch→ You're a law student thinking about what comes after the bar→ You're already in it and need to know you're not alone─────────────────────────────────────CONNECT WITH US:─────────────────────────────────────🎙 Instagram: @UnscriptedOrder🎙 Spotify: Search "Unscripted Order"🎙 Apple Podcasts: Search "Unscripted Order"Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.─────────────────────────────────────DISCLAIMER:─────────────────────────────────────Nothing in this podcast is intended to create an attorney-client relationship or constitute legal advice. All content is for educational and informational purposes only. If you have a legal question, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.

    The Shingle: Dos & Don'ts of Hanging Out Your Own Shingle | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 16
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Two brothers, B. James Smalls and D. Lamont Bugg, from the 757, discussing life, the law, and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    The Unscripted Order Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Unscripted Order Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Unscripted Order Podcast

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