Law and Chaos

Liz Dye
  • 4.5 (336)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Law and Chaos

Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That’s true for a traffic stop, and it’s true if you want to participate in whatever’s left of American democracy. If the events since the 2016 election taught us anything, it’s that tuning out is not an option. Legal journalists Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez break down the week’s most important courtroom stories, so you can keep on top of this crazy news cycle. Whether it’s Texas giving two middle fingers to the Supreme Court, or Donald Trump in all the courts at once, we’ve got you covered.

  1. Ep 142 — Who Is The Administrator of DOGE (feat. Anna Bower)

    9H AGO

    Ep 142 — Who Is The Administrator of DOGE (feat. Anna Bower)

    Liz and Andrew welcome Lawfare’s Anna Bower back to the show to discuss her singular obsession: who is the administrator of DOGE? Find out why that’s still a critical question and what discovering the answer might mean in terms of undoing policy, preserving records, and more.   Links:   Who Is The Administrator of DOGE, by Anna Bower https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawfare-daily--witaod   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1h 9m
  2. Ep 141 — California to Trump: DROP DEAD

    4D AGO

    Ep 141 — California to Trump: DROP DEAD

    A federal judge has ruled that Donald Trump illegally seized control of the California National Guard. We tell you everything that means and what happens next. Also, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is home and facing trumped-up charges in Tennessee. And Alina Habba is still cosplaying as a prosecutor, and this time she’s decided to try and indict a sitting member of Congress for doing her job.   Links:   Newsom v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70496361/newsom-v-trump/   Abrego Garcia v. Noem [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/   US v. Abrego Garcia [docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70475970/united-states-v-garcia/   US v. Mciver [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70317726/united-states-v-mciver   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1h 5m
  3. Ep 140 — Protest =/= Rebellion

    JUN 10

    Ep 140 — Protest =/= Rebellion

    The Trump administration is trying to provoke a riot in California by “federalizing” the National Guard. We’ll tell you what that means and what legal recourse blue states and cities have to resist being occupied by the military. Plus, it turns out that the Trump administration could facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia after all, it just needed to gin up a dubious criminal indictment first. And finally, Justin Baldoni’s trollsuit against Blake Lively meets precisely the demise we told you it would.   Links:   US v. Abrego Garcia [docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70475970/united-states-v-garcia/   DHS Referral to DOJ (Abrego Garcia) https://www.ice.gov/doclib/news/releases/2025/25_0418_hsi_referral-abrego-garcia.pdf   Abrego Garcia v. Noem [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/   Harvard College v. Department of Health and Human Services [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69921962/president-and-fellows-of-harvard-college-v-us-department-of-health-and/   White House Memo Federalizing National Guard https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/department-of-defense-security-for-the-protection-of-department-of-homeland-security-functions/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1h 13m
  4. Ep 139 — You Get A Civ Pro, And You Get A Civ Pro…

    JUN 6

    Ep 139 — You Get A Civ Pro, And You Get A Civ Pro…

    Justin Baldoni’s lawyers are wilding out, the Justice Department is suing to purge North Carolina’s voter rolls, and Pillow Pumper Mike Lindell is teaching us about journalism shield laws. And for subscribers: Have Trump’s minions discovered one weird trick that will allow them to steal Congress’s tariff authority?   Links:   Kingdom v. Trump https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69717615/kingdom-v-trump/   Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-justice-department-examining-pardons-issued-by-biden-2025-06-02/   US v. Navarro https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63359365/united-states-v-navarro/   J.G.G. v. Trump [District Court Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/   Wayfarer Studios v. Lively https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69550325/wayfarer-studios-llc-v-lively/   Lively v. Wayfarer Studios, LLC https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69510553/lively-v-wayfarer-studios-llc/   Coomer v. Lindell https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63296393/coomer-v-lindell/   Covington & Burling tariffs article https://www.cov.com/-/media/files/corporate/publications/2016/12/law360_the_presidents_long_forgotten_power_to_raise_tariffs.pdf   19 USC 1338 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/19/1338 US v. North Carolina State Board of Elections [docket via Court Listener] ttps://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70380331/united-states-v-north-carolina-state-board-of-elections/   Help America Vote Act, 52 USC 21083 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/52/21083 Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1h 3m
  5. Ep 138 — Trump Admin Courts Contempt In Every Court At Once

    JUN 3

    Ep 138 — Trump Admin Courts Contempt In Every Court At Once

    The Trump Administration is putting the Justice Department in a terrible bind. DOJ lawyers can tell judges the truth and admit that the government is deliberately violating court orders. Or they can bob and weave and prevaricate and cross their fingers and hope it all comes out okay. But that strategy is running into a brick wall as courts are increasingly ruling against the government. Plus for subscribers: How low will SCOTUS go to protect the sacred right to walk around with a giant murder cannon slung over our shoulders?    Links: The Trump Administration Is Lawless. Judges Are Adapting. https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/the-trump-administration-is-lawless   Judge Russell Standing Order https://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/sites/mdd/files/Amended%202025-01.pdf   Trump v. Selzer [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69476247/trump-v-selzer/   Arevalo Millan v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70294725/darwin-antonio-arevalo-millan-v-donald-j-trump/   Melgar-Salmeron v. Bondi https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70409956/melgar-salmeron-v-bondi/   SCOTUS Orders List for June 2, 20025 https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/060225zor_4f15.pdf   J.O.P. v. Department of Homeland Security [District Court Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/15867241/jop-v-us-department-of-homeland-security Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1 hr
  6. Ep 137 — Trump’s Bad Week In All The Courts

    MAY 30

    Ep 137 — Trump’s Bad Week In All The Courts

    This week Trump got his ass kicked in courts no one’s ever heard of! From tariffs to immigration, Harvard to WilmerHale, it’s been a week of losing bigly. Andrew and Liz will break it down and explain what’s next.   Links:   Harvard College v. Department of Health and Human Services [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69921962/president-and-fellows-of-harvard-college-v-us-department-of-health-and/   V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump [District Court Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69888953/vos-selections-inc-v-donald-j-trump   V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump [Federal Circuit Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70394463/vos-selections-inc-v-trump/   WilmerHale v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807328/wilmer-cutler-pickering-hale-and-dorr-llp-v-executive-office-of-the/   Jenner & Block v. DOJ [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807126/jenner-block-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/   MTA v. Duffy (Congestion Pricing) [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69652290/metropolitan-transportation-authority-v-duffy/   D.V.D. v. Department of Homeland Security [Trial Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69775896/dvd-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/   Department of Homeland Security v. D.V.D. [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a1153.html   The Punch That Launched Trump’s War on American Universities https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/trump-college-university-federal-funding-fight-91c2a274   How to Hide a Constitutional Crisis https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/05/legalistic-noncompliance/682927/   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1h 9m
  7. Ep 136 — Trump Announces Plan To Break Law. Gets Immediately Enjoined. Again.

    MAY 27

    Ep 136 — Trump Announces Plan To Break Law. Gets Immediately Enjoined. Again.

    President Trump’s genius plan to announce that he’s about to violate the First Amendment — and then do it! — runs into the judicial buzzsaw as two federal courts restrain his attacks on Harvard and the law firm Jenner & Block. And his campaign’s lawsuit against Iowa pollster Ann Selzer continues to be a humiliating series of self-owns. But SCOTUS hands the administration a win by allowing the president to fire anyone and everyone. They exempted Fed Chair Jerome Powell for, uh, reasons.   Links:   Jenner & Block v. DOJ [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807126/jenner-block-llp-v-us-department-of-justice   Trump v. Selzer [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69476247/trump-v-selzer/   Trump Allies Look to Benefit From Pro Bono Promises by Elite Law Firms https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/business/trump-law-firms-pro-bono.html   Trump v. Wilcox [Supreme Court order] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a966_1b8e.pdf   Seila Law v. CFPB https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19-7_n6io.pdf   President and Fellows of Harvard College v. DHS [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70349156/president-and-fellows-of-harvard-college-v-united-states-department-of/   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    1 hr
  8. Ep 135 — Deadpool Teaches Civ Pro & Church And State Are Still Separate (For Now!)

    MAY 23

    Ep 135 — Deadpool Teaches Civ Pro & Church And State Are Still Separate (For Now!)

    It’s been another wild week of injunctions, executive orders, and just plain insanity from the Trump administration. Then, we’ll let Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni teach us about civil procedure. And for a deep dive, we discuss a surprising recusal from Justice Barrett that preserves what’s left of the separation of church and state.   Links:   How Trump Officials Debated Handling of the Abrego Garcia Case: ‘Keep Him Where He Is’ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/us/politics/trump-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-deportation.html   Judge James Ho Public Meltdown https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.224134/gov.uscourts.ca5.224134.25.1.pdf   D.V.D. v. Department of Homeland Security [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69775896/dvd-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/   Somerville Public Schools v. Trump [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69778837/somerville-public-schools-v-trump   US v. McIver [Docket via Court Listener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70317726/united-states-v-mciver/   Trump v. Wilcox [Supreme Court order granting stay] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a966_1b8e.pdf   Oklahoma Statewide School Board v. Drummond [Supreme Court per curiam order] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-394_9p6b.pdf   Lively v. Baldoni (SDNY) [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69510553/lively-v-wayfarer-studios-llc/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc&page=2   We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/business/media/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-it-ends-with-us.html   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

    58 min
See All (142)

4.5
out of 5
336 Ratings

About

Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That’s true for a traffic stop, and it’s true if you want to participate in whatever’s left of American democracy. If the events since the 2016 election taught us anything, it’s that tuning out is not an option. Legal journalists Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez break down the week’s most important courtroom stories, so you can keep on top of this crazy news cycle. Whether it’s Texas giving two middle fingers to the Supreme Court, or Donald Trump in all the courts at once, we’ve got you covered.

Information

  • Creator
    Liz Dye
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Law and Chaos

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