Sidebar by Courthouse News

Courthouse News
  • 4.8 (19)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Sidebar by Courthouse News tackles the stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Hillel Aron, Kirk McDaniel, Amanda Pampuro, Kelsey Reichmann and Josh Russell as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down all the developments that had them talking.

  1. SEP 30

    The Shadow Docket

    From firing high profile government employees to making fundamental decisions on who can officially call themselves an American citizen, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Trump administration – its most frequent litigant lately – are turning to the court’s emergency docket to unkink the federal government’s policy hose.  But unlike the court’s regular docket, the justices can use the emergency docket without having to explain themselves or even reveal how they voted, earning its nickname as “the shadow docket.” With a plethora of litigation critical to the administration’s effort to reshape the federal government, Courthouse News’ Supreme Court reporter Kelsey Reichmann takes us through the maze of major issues that could be decided without any hints as to how the court came to its conclusions.  With so much litigation rising from federal court in Washington, D.C. or directly running afoul of laws passed by Congress, Courthouse News D.C. reporters Ben Weiss and Ryan Knappenberger also contributed to this episode.  This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    36 min

  2. SEP 9

    The Road to Nowhere

    As Congress and the courts attempt to untangle the complex web of human trafficking investigations related to the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, members of the Trump administration, some of whom trumpeted the push for disclosure as pundits and podcasters before being appointed to the inside, are now pleading with the MAGA base to move on.  But now that they’ve lived through more than a decade of intense speculation of who flew on Epstein’s plane or went to his island of unthinkable debauchery, will they be satisfied with Trump’s explanation that the whole thing is just a hoax perpetrated by his political opponents? How do conspiracy theories like this one become so sticky?  Join us for the next episode of Sidebar where we look into how the different arms of government are handling the unhealable sore of the Epstein files, and is there hope for justice for the lives destroyed by human trafficking beyond a prison suicide, or is this all political fodder for the next election cycle.  Special guest: ·      Melina Tsapos This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    33 min

  3. AUG 19

    National Treasure

    Forrest Fenn hid a treasure chest full of gold and diamonds somewhere out in the Rocky Mountains because he wanted kids to go outside and smell the sunshine, inspiring hosts of naturalists to hide their own treasures and, more importantly, enjoy the treasures that are U.S. public lands.  But these treasured lands and parks have suffered abuse, neglect and the constant threat of being sold off by zealous policymakers looking to open up millions of acres of protected space for development or resource mining, an act some experts akin to political suicide.  Join us for the ninth episode of Sidebar this season as we poke around vast swaths of beaches, mountains, canyons and river beds in pursuit of what treasures these U.S. public lands hold.  Special guests:  ·      Chris Winter ·      Gwen Lockman ·      Arthur Gailes ·      Rick Williams ·      John Leshy ·      Jon Collins-Black This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    38 min

  4. JUN 24

    Obergefell: 10 Years Later

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to legally recognize same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges hits its 10-year anniversary this year, and a radically different court is now tasked with parsing through a fresh slate of thorny questions affecting the LGBTQ community.  The right to marry was a monumental acknowledgement, a significant step toward mainstream societal acceptance of the LGBTQ community, but the journey there was arduous, and how firm is the foundation upon which that right now stands?  While a modern, more conservative court ponders such issues as whether parents can shield their kids from books with LGBTQ characters, we take a deep dive into pre-Obergefell America, a place where the evening news declared homosexuality as “embarrassing,” and states used sodomy laws to target same-sex couples. Join us for the eighth and final episode of our fifth season as we explore the road to Obergefell and where that road appears to be headed in the not-too distant future.  Special guests:  · Marc Stein · Lee Carpenter · Jenny Pizer · John Bursch This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    40 min

  5. JUN 10

    City of Cracks

    Los Angeles is in crisis, facing a staggering $1 billion budget deficit thanks to dwindling tax revenues, rising workforce costs and legal settlements. Judgments against the city have skyrocketed, with payouts nearly quadrupling from $91 million to $320 million in just four years.  While much of this financial burden stems from lawsuits involving the Los Angeles Police Department, housing discrimination and crumbling infrastructure, the city’s broken sidewalks account for a small but growing portion of the pot due to over 4,000 miles of sidewalks in various states of disrepair. Throw in some outdated policies and inadequate tree management as invasive roots of ficus trees contribute to woes, and you have an untenable situation. Could spending and prioritizing public spaces stave off future liabilities? Find out in our seventh episode this season. Special guests:  Attorney Mauro Fiore Jr.Attorney Chris ArdalanJessica Meaney, executive director of Investing in PlaceAttorney Paula PearlmanThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    20 min

  6. MAY 13

    Electric Sheep

    The future is here. Sixty years ago, the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick wondered whether androids dream and what about. As artificial intelligence moves from the realm of sci-fi into daily reality, helping companies and governments analyze data and make decisions, the questions of what mechanisms motivate AI and whether these programs can overcome human limitations remain unanswered. Many tech leaders seem to believe we are on the cusp of having self-aware AI with intelligence that surpasses humans. Even if we don’t get there, we’re already facing places where current laws don’t really protect us. Join us in our sixth episode this season for a tour through a not-so-post-apocalyptic landscape as companies and experts try to navigate how humans bring AI more and more to life.  Special guests: Tyler Johnston, founder of the Midas ProjectStephen Thaler, founder of Imagination EnginesEllie Pavlick, assistant professor of computer science and linguistics at Brown UniversityMatthew Tokson, law professor at the University of UtahScott Stevenson, CEO of SpellbookUlysses Secrest, artist and owner of Aerarius MetalworksChatGPTThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    40 min

  7. APR 29

    Trump's Cannibalization of Big Law

    In February, President Donald Trump started signing a series of executive orders and presidential memorandums against individual “Big Law” firms, accusing them of engaging in “conduct detrimental to critical American interests” and directing federal agency heads to review and scrutinize security clearances and any government contracts, as well as barring attorneys from government buildings. These targeted executive orders — and the looming threat of more to come —  ultimately triggered several major American firms to quickly agree to provide tens of millions of dollars in pro bono legal work aligned with the administration’s priorities. In our fifth episode this season, we look at what this means for Big Law, the $340 million of pledged pro bono legal work on Trump’s behalf and which firms are fighting back in the courts. Special guests: Scott Cummings, law professor at UCLA School of LawClaire Finkelstein, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law SchoolThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    25 min

  8. APR 1

    The Imperial Presidency

    Welcome to the age of the imperial presidency, dear listener. After President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office in January, he flexed a newfound authority unlike his predecessors as he spent the first few weeks legislating through executive orders. Whether you think Trump is above the law in practice or theory, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last July in Trump v. United States feels particularly poignant as his administration faces over 100 lawsuits under 100 days into his second term. How does the court’s finding impact how Trump legislates from the executive branch? Does he really have the power to fire federal employees and the heads of nonpartisan bureaus? With the help of our D.C. reporters Ryan Knappenberger and Benjamin S. Weiss, we break this down and more in our fourth episode this season. Special guests: Ben Olinsky, senior vice president for structural reform at the Center for American ProgressMichael Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American ProgressJed Shugerman, law professor at Boston University School of LawSharece Thrower, political science professor at Vanderbilt UniversityThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Sidebar by Courthouse News tackles the stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Hillel Aron, Kirk McDaniel, Amanda Pampuro, Kelsey Reichmann and Josh Russell as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down all the developments that had them talking.

Information

  • Creator
    Courthouse News
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Sidebar by Courthouse News
  • Show Website
    Sidebar by Courthouse News

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