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.
106episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
President Trump’s Losing Streak
2d ago01:02:00Summary readySarah Isgur and David French (he returns!) discuss the major Trump losses—Kennedy Center name change, motion on Trump v. IRS, and injunction on the slush fund—before reviewing scrutiny of the court and the swatting incident at Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s residence. The Agenda: –Sarah returns to the greatest state in the U-S-of-A –Kicking Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center –The Flight 93 problem –Trump v. IRS –Justice Barrett swatted –A Justice’s son having a job is a scandal, I guess. Order Sarah’s book here. Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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
SummaryDistrict Map Fights Before the 2026 Midterms
6d ago01:17:05Summary readyDavid Lat joins Sarah Isgur (see ya later, French) to discuss the three-judge panel overturning Alabama’s congressional maps, a new lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s slush fund, and a lying Judge. The Agenda: –No redistricting according to race –Nonsense lawsuits –Dragging courts into political fights –Moving honey buns is interstate commerce –Sanction more judges? –Feeling Wicker-ty –The Arbitration Act is sexy! –Making clerks very uncomfortable Show Notes: –Pitchford v. Cain –Flowers Foods v. Brock –Rutherford v. United States –Fernandez v. United States–Wickard v. Filburn Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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 Through the Decades | Interview: Nina Totenberg
1w ago01:10:16Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss an anticlimactic dig from the Supreme Court over IQ tests and the death penalty and challenges to the $1.8 billion slush fund President Donald Trump created on weaponization, and they talk with NPR's Nina Totenberg about covering the Supreme Court. The Agenda: —Hamm v. Smith —How many IQ tests does a person on death row need to take? —Who can challenge the slush fund? —James Comey as the platonic ideal plaintiff —The embarrassing DNC autopsy, and Grifter Sarah makes an appearance —Interview with Nina Totenberg Order Sarah’s book here. Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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
SummaryAll the Things Wrong with Trump’s Billion-Dollar Fund
2w ago01:07:19Summary readySarah Isgur and David French analyze President Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund through the lens of three legal “buckets,” and talk about how federal appropriations work and the Obama-era case that hangs over this legal issue. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s latest cert grant on a Title IX case, plus the circuit split brewing over the First Amendment and judicial elections. The Agenda: –Court agrees to hear case on the ability of employees to bring certain suits for sex discrimination –Going through the settlement agreement, it’s practically a blank check! –Todd Blanche essentially pardons Trump’s family –‘That’s not how appropriations work.’ –Georgia Supreme Court race finishes strong Show Notes: –Chief Judge William Pryor’s opinion –Anti-Weaponization Fund –Keepseagle v. Vilsack Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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
SummaryLet’s Sue the Government
2w ago01:02:36Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss the IRS lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump, SCOTUS’s mifepristone decision, and a unanimous verdict from the justices that no one except Sarah cares about. The Agenda: –The 1,776 slush fund –David’s ‘back in the day’ lawsuit against the Obama administration –The Bivens brick wall –Trump loses on the law but wins in the politics –Ballroom and baby steps –Is Trump the Chosen One? –Brief explainer on the Comstock Act –Court rules freight brokers can face negligent hiring suits under state law Show Notes: –Federal Defender Newsletter –Jordan v. Darrisaw Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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 Clears Way for Alabama to Use Congressional Map
3w ago00:57:54Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss the emergency docket ruling from SCOTUS on Alabama’s congressional maps, which broke down over three-justice ideological lines, Virginia’s filing (yes, they did file) at the Supreme Court, and a very special 2-1 9th Circuit panel opinion. The Agenda: –Remember Allen v. Milligan? –Central, urban bonkerstown –14th Amendment Equal Protection argument vs. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act –Virginia files gerrymandering case at SCOTUS –Biogradable cooler dispute, are you Team Gorsuch or Team Kavanaugh? –Why 5-4? –Would You Rather: Due Process Clause or Equal Protection Clause? Show Notes: –Remarks by Sen. A. Shane Massey on the Sine Die Resolution and Congressional Redistricting Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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
SummaryThe TED Talk Heard ‘Round the World
3w ago01:07:07Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss the Virginia State Supreme Court striking down the state’s new congressional maps, Neal Katyal’s TED talk that we don’t want to talk about, and David plays a fun constitutional “Would You Rather” game. The Agenda:–Virginia’s gerrymandering map is unlawful–The left can’t get mad at the right when the right tried the independent state legislator argument–What really won the trillion-dollar Supreme Court case–Who is Harvey?–Shout out to the coolest AP Government teacher ever? Show Notes:–Supremely Cringe: Neal Katyal And ‘TED-Gate’ Order Sarah’s book here. Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. 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
SummaryCongress Did Something!
4w ago00:58:09Summary readyWelcome to Callais-a-palooza, where Sarah Isgur and David French discuss Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court decision that struck down Lousiana's congressional map and allows Louisiana to draw a new map that will likely favor Republicans. The two read Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson's dissent, discussed whether the decision violates the Purcell principle, and answer listeners' questions about the decision. The Agenda:—Sarah's dad is unconstitutional—The 32-day question—The three Honey Badgers—Partisan gerrymandering on steroids—“Kavanaugh stops” and Callais—Listener questions! Show Notes:—David French on Race, Rights, Trump, and Faith—The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong? 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
SummaryJustice Alito Stays Ruling on Abortion Pill by Mail
May 501:18:59Summary readyJustice Samuel Alito allows medical companies to continue administering the abortion pill Mifepristone after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered for it to be dispensed only in person. Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the role of standing in judicial review and abortion access after Donald Trump’s presidency.The Agenda:–Court issues temporary order allowing access to abortion pill by mail–The 5th Circuit is the outlier court–Overturning Roe V. Wade didn’t end abortion–Can Trump end Temporary Protected Status Program for Haitians and Syrians?–What if this was all racially motivated?–Justices appear mixed on whether geofence warrant violated the Fourth Amendment–Listener questions!Show Notes:–Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency–Trump v. HawaiiOrder 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
SummaryGutting the Voting Rights Act | Interview: Judge Roy K. Altman
Apr 3001:24:21Summary readySarah Isgur and David French discuss the decision in a racially challenged redistricting map case, weird indictments, and whether Israel is guilty of genocide. The Agenda:–No one consulted the chief justice on flyovers–Reverse and Remand on First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport–Living in a post-Dobbs world–Supreme Court strikes down redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory–James Comey has been indicted, again–Indictments on Southern Poverty Law Center’s paid informants–Israel on trial–Why jury trials are amazing 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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