Episodi

  • The Secrecy in Courts Dilemma

    The Secrecy in Courts Dilemma
    Oct 15 2026
    Sarah Isgur and David French are joined by Vince Chhabria, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and Stanford professor Nora Engstrom to discuss the incredibly high number of motions granted to seal documents and the line between secrecy and protecting the public interest. They also discuss three new cases that SCOTUS added to its oral argument docket and Big Law red flags. The Agenda: –Shout out to our Antarctica fans –Does FOIA apply to DOGE? –Cooking up material support for terrorism –Why sealed filings should be rare –Welcome to Big Law, son 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 1 min
  • Is Spending Money Protected Speech?

    Is Spending Money Protected Speech?
    Oct 13 2026
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss what’s on the Supreme Court’s docket, debate whether anonymous speech is protected by the First Amendment, and undergo a grim historical review of the death penalty after the Pentagon’s announcement that an execution will be livestreamed. The Agenda: –Columbus Day discourse –Video rental records and boring 1980s movies –Suing Hillary Clinton –Disputes over political ad rates –Is spending money speech? –The problem with disclosure laws –A gruesome history of the death penalty Show Notes: – Americans for Prosperity v. Bonta Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 10 min
  • SUNCOR Gets Complicated

    SUNCOR Gets Complicated
    Oct 8 2026
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the surprisingly complicated Suncor SCOTUS oral argument, Justice Samuel Alito and his AI usage, and circuit cases on child sex abuse material, vaccine exemptions, and racial harassment. The Agenda: –Suncor Energy Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County –An appropriate use of AI by Justice Alito? –“I don’t think Justice Alito has DraftKings on his phone.” –Justice Barrett, zombie slayer –Will  Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition ever get overturned? –Legal traps, religious exemptions, and COVID vaccines –The DEI-training era reaches the courts Show Notes: –Sherif Girgis’ Advisory Opinions episode –Jack Goldsmith’s piece in The Atlantic 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 1 min
  • What Is Originalism? | Interview: Sherif Girgis

    What Is Originalism? | Interview: Sherif Girgis
    Oct 6 2026
    The new Supreme Court term has officially started, Sarah Isgur has returned from Down Under, and Sherif Girgis is taking a job at Harvard Law School. The vibes on today’s podcast are immaculate as Sarah and David discuss the long conference before Girgis joins them to discuss Justice Samuel Alito’s new book and his recusal from the biggest case of the term. The Agenda: –42 pages of cert denials –Long conference overview –So Ordered: An Originalist's View of the Constitution, the Court, and Our Country –Justice Alito’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal –The off-ramps of originalism –Behind the scenes in Alito’s chambers Show notes: –Justice Alito’s CBS News interview with Jan Crawford 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 25 min
  • Not a MAGA Court

    Not a MAGA Court
    Oct 1 2026
    Elie Honig, CNN’s chief legal analyst, joins David French fresh off jury duty to discuss his piece for New York Magazine on how worried we should be about election challenges ahead of the midterms. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on third-country removals, do some level-setting on the civil lawsuit against Cornell University over an alleged gang rape, and participate in a Star Wars SCOTUS draft. The Agenda: –Jury duty hangover –Immigrants ask Supreme Court to leave ruling in place preventing Trump administration from deporting them to third-party countries –The Supreme Court Won’t Be Trump’s Election-Theft Lackey –Jane Doe v. Cornell –We’re having a draft! 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 5 min
  • Is Press Access a Constitutional Right?

    Is Press Access a Constitutional Right?
    Sep 29 2026
    David French talks to CNN’s chief legal analyst, Elie Honig, at a time when CNN is in the news following President Donald Trump’s ban of the cable network from the White House. Honig takes us through CNN’s lawsuit seeking to regain access and the First Amendment argument media outlets are making. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Missouri redistricting case, and Sarah Isgur makes a provocative argument that may trigger any true crime fans. The Agenda: –The third time is not the charm in Missouri redistricting map case –Can the White House ban the press? –True Crime entertainment is bad –Thank you, SNL 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 13 min
  • Third Time’s the Charm?

    Third Time’s the Charm?
    Sep 24 2026
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the Missouri redistricting case now that the 8th Circuit has weighed in. Let’s stipulate that everything is a mess. Then, the two go through a few listener mailbag questions, including controversial school murals, marijuana law, and court packing. The Agenda: –SCOTUSblog coverage on the redistricting case –India’s Supreme Court, standing doctrine, and stagnation –The Rohrabacher–Farr Amendment and David being wrong –Sarah’s favorite sentence and Judge Jeff Sutton –Rage bait: Congress is maybe not the problem –How many justices is too many? 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 14 min
  • Are Marijuana Contracts Legal in Federal Court?

    Are Marijuana Contracts Legal in Federal Court?
    Sep 22 2026
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the upcoming “long conference” that marks the unofficial start to the new Supreme Court term, a prosecutor being referred to the Department of Justice for obstruction of justice, and a review of several circuit-court cases, including breaches of contract between marijuana-related businesses. Crime versus commerce reaches the courts. The Agenda: –⁠Hello Justice John Marshall⁠ –⁠What is vulgar student speech? ⁠ –“There are only two genders” and race-neutral criteria –⁠Prosecutor referred to the DOJ⁠ –⁠Hash-ing out business⁠ 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
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 10 min