Podcast
Advisory Opinions
Hosted by The Dispatch · EN
Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.
145episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Fauci Pleads the Fifth | Interview: Elie Honig
3d ago01:11:45Summary readySarah Isgur and David French are joined by CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig to discuss Anthony Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment. Is it okay? Is it not okay? How does this relate to the pardon power? Then it’s on to a constitutional game show where each member of this three-person team picks two constitutional amendments they would magically ratify and one amendment they would veto. The Agenda: –Anthony Fauci can take the Fifth –Did Fauci even have such a right? –Wiping your phone is an obstruction of justice –Amending the Constitution! –Impeachment reform, resizing Congress, and emergency powers –Presidential eligibility, redefining Article II, and repealing the 17th Amendment –We will see a 28th Amendment Show Notes: –Elie Honig: When You Come at the King –How to Investigate a President (with Elie Honig) - CAFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryThe Island of Rationality and the First Amendment
5d ago01:16:09Summary readyWelcome to First Amendment-a-palooza, where headliners Sarah Isgur and David French play the classics like: “Are license plates government speech?” and “Three cheers for Citizens United,” as well as “Owning a copy of Mein Kampf means you’re an idiot, but it’s still private speech.” The Agenda: –Immigration issues –Citizens United will be overturned –Gender, protected speech, and school counselors –Suck it up, Virginia! –Black Lives Matter protests and injured police officers –Listener mail bag Show Notes: –Faces of Intratextualism - Akhil Reed Amar –Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Inc. –David Lat’s Substack –Garcetti v. Ceballos –Opinion: A Very Dangerous Ruling in New Orleans Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider beco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryReceipts on the Senate Filibuster | Interview: Mike “Frags” Fragoso
1w ago01:08:07Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss the Trump administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court about its mail-in voting executive order. Then the two talk with Mike Fragoso, former chief counsel to then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and partner at Torridon Law, to discuss the food truck nature of Senate judicial nomination. The Agenda: –Additional restrictions on mail-in voting – The headline-to-effects ratio is out of control – Judicial nominees and the filibuster – All about the Congressional Review Act –Mutual combat at the gas station The SCOTUSblog Summit: 2026 Term Preview. Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryReviewing the Court’s Criminal Law | Interview: Rory Little and Orin Kerr
2w ago01:22:57Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss new data on questions that the Supreme Court justices are asking, dive into the definition of stipulation, and run through a few questionable subpoenas of reporters. All this before the crime-apalooza interview with University of California law professor Rory Little and Stanford law professor Orin Kerr. You won’t want to miss their discussion on torture. No, this isn’t a euphemism. The Agenda: –Justice Kagan says court gets a “bad rap” –Nine justices, nine styles –Was it a stipulation or admission? –DOJ subpoenas New York Times reporters over Air Force One reporting –Get bourbon with old trial attorneys –The Roberts court’s legacy in criminal law Show Notes: – The First Criminal Procedure Revolution –“Torture and Plea Bargaining” by John H. Langbein –Branzburg v. Hayes –Gonzales v. Raich The SCOTUSblog Summit: 2026 Term Preview. Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider b Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryAlaska v. a Charter Plane and a Six-Pack of Beer
2w ago01:05:55Summary readySarah Isgur and David French explain a case in which an Alaskan charter plane was seized over a six-pack of beer and discuss Title IX due-process rights on college campuses. Sarah and David are then joined by Harvard Law professor Richard Re to break down his column arguing that Chief Justice John Roberts is moderating from the front. The Agenda: —Alaskan charter plane seized over a six-pack —Title IX and due process —Antisemitism and Title VI —Is Chief Justice Roberts moderating from the front? —Alexander Bickel and passive virtues —The left and court-packing Show notes: —United States v. $124,700 in U.S. Currency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryDefy the Gods
3w ago01:05:55Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss Messi flags and The Odyssey in 4D (not IMAX!) before diving into legal topics such as the politics at the Supreme Court, 3rd Circuit defamation and cancellation, and why the Hawaii Supreme Court is wrong. The Agenda: –Sarah’s kid gave her a bloody lip –The politics of the court –Samuel Alito, a MAGA-Friendly Justice? –Stephen Miller is totally ignorant –The passing of U.S. Senior District Judge John E. Steele –FIRE's campus-deplatforming database –Wang v. University of Pittsburgh (3rd Circuit) –Arrogant opinions –Why The Odyssey is small “c” conservative Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryA Bucket Full of Trump Bait
3w ago01:04:11Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Justice Elena Kagan’s testimony in front of Congress, an Alaska Airlines forum argument about religious issues, and President Donald Trump’s various legal battles—from the War Powers Resolution to sanctioned lawyers to law firm subpoenas. The Agenda: –Supreme Court Justices testify before Congress –Canceling the Shadow Docket –Alaska Airlines and its employee forum –Recession of Wokeness –Trump Bait: War powers, slush fund, and law firm deals collapsing Show Notes: –Trump notifies Congress of new war against Iran Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryPlenty of Culture War Stuff
4w ago01:22:24Summary readySarah Isgur and David French preview the next Supreme Court term, discuss a dissent from a cert denial on defamation, and consider a few think pieces on the court: Are any of the justices political? Finally, the circuit decision heard ‘round the world: Florida’s Stop WOKE Act, stopped by an 11th Circuit panel decision. The Agenda: –Every rose has its thorn –Not-A-Ban on assault weapons coming next term –Text vs. Precedent, field prevention, and climate change-related injuries –A little boring Title IX is nice for change –Back to Colorado’s anti-discrimination cases –An easy parental rights case? –A headline-generating case but a not-so-important legal case –12-person juries and felonies – Actual malice and Alan Dershowitz –How Political Is This Supreme Court? –STOP Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Show Notes –October Term 2026 –Watch Zachary Shemtob’s interview with the National Legal Director of the ACLU, Cecillia Wang, from our term recap event. Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummarySCOTUS Vibe Check
Jul 901:05:25Summary readyLive from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., Sarah Isgur and David French review the OT25 term with Akhil Amar, professor of law and political science at Yale University, and David Lat, author of Original Jurisdiction. The four break down the most consequential cases of the past term—from the tariffs case to Humphrey’s Executor, birthright citizenship, and what it all means for President Trump’s relationship with the court. The Agenda: –Thank you to the ACLU for sponsoring our SCOTUSblog Summit at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center –Getting deep into trucking Twitter –How the culture war is shifting toward separation-of-powers fights –Counting jelly beans and winning heifers –The demise of Humphrey’s Executor in Slaughter –Did Trump win or lose this term? –What even makes a “big” case? –Previewing OT26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryComplicating the Polarization Narrative
Jul 701:09:37Summary readySarah Isgur and David French slow things down with an overview of the yearly Stat Pack released by SCOTUSblog, look at the dissents in the birthright citizenship case, and answer listeners’ questions about everything from the 14th Amendment being sex-blind to whether independent agencies could be recreated within the legislative branch. The Agenda: –Stat Pack: Findings –Trump v. Barbara could have been a book –Birthright citizenship dissents –Is the 14th Amendment sex-blind? –Get rid of rulemaking authority in the executive branch –Choose only three justices –Getting up close to the financial disclosures Order Sarah’s book here. 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 access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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