In this episode, Jared Schroeder, Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies and Donald W. Reynolds Distinguished Faculty Fellow at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, discusses his new book "The Penumbra Problem: The Rise and Fall of the Little-Known Word that Protects Our Privacy," which is published by Stanford University Press. Schroeder begins by explaining the origins of the word penumbra in the astrological studies of Johannes Kepler. He traces the adoption of the word into the English language and its early use in judicial opinions by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and others. And he tells the story of how Justice Douglas came to use the word penumbra to explain the origins of the constitutional right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut.

This episode was hosted by Brian L. Frye, Professor of Law at Tulane University School of Law. Frye is on Twitter at @brianlfrye and on Bluesky at @brianlfrye.bsky.social.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Scott Guthery, a patent advisor and inventor, Julie Burke, founder of the IP Quality Pro patent consulting firm, and Michael Risch, Professor of Law at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, discuss their new book, "Unfettered Invention: How the X Patents Sparked Early American Technology," which is published by Docent Press. They introduce the "X patents," which were issued from 1791 to 1836, when the Patent Office fire destroyed all of the Patent Office records. They explain how patent law changed after 1836 and the process of reconstructing the X patent files. And they reflect on what we can learn about invention in the Early American Public from the X patents collection.

This episode was hosted by Brian L. Frye, Professor of Law at Tulane University School of Law. Frye is on Twitter at @brianlfrye and on Bluesky at @brianlfrye.bsky.social.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Tracy Thomas, Seiberling Chair of Constitutional Law and Director of the Center for Constitutional Law ay the University of Akron School of Law, discusses her new book, "The First Woman Judge: The Life and Legacy of Florence Allen, " which is published by the University of California Press. Thomas begins by explaining who Florence Allen was and how she became interested in Allen. She describes Allen's life and the social context in which Allen became the first American woman elected to a judgeship. She also recounts Allen's impressive judicial career and reflects on how close Allen came to being the first woman to be appointed a justice on the United States Supreme Court. Thomas is on Twitter and Bluesky.

This episode was hosted by Brian L. Frye, Professor of Law at Tulane University School of Law. Frye is on Twitter at @brianlfrye and on Bluesky at @brianlfrye.bsky.social.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.