Advisory Opinions

They unpack SCOTUS’s emergency ruling on Alabama’s congressional map and its ties to Allen v. Milligan. They tease the clash between Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and 14th Amendment Equal Protection claims. They debate partisan motives versus racial intent, Virginia’s push to bring a gerrymandering fight to the high court, and a quirky Ninth Circuit dispute over biodegradable coolers.

They unpack Virginia’s court decision voiding a redistricting amendment and why timing and early voting matter. They debate interim dockets, historical precedent, and when courts must block harms before elections. They critique Neal Katyal’s TED Talk claims about using AI in Supreme Court prep and the professional fallout. They finish with a rapid-fire civics trivia round.

A fast-paced dive into Louisiana v. Callais and the Supreme Court's timing and mandate choices. They debate Purcell's role in high-stakes election timing and procedural fairness. The conversation spotlights risks to Black congressional representation and the rise of aggressive partisan map drawing. Listeners get a tour of constitutional tensions between the 14th and 15th Amendments and modern redistricting battles.

They walk through a last-minute courtroom move keeping mail-order access to mifepristone and why the Supreme Court stepped in. They unpack standing doctrines, redressability puzzles, and how one appellate court became the outlier. Conversation also covers Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, geofence warrant privacy questions, and contentious nominee behavior.

Judge Roy K. Altman, a federal judge and author of Israel on Trial, applies courtroom legal method to contentious questions about Israel and legal history. He rebuts claims about occupation and colonialism using evidence and law. He also explains why jury trials matter and shares moving stories about jury service.

The inimitable Lisa Blatt joins Sarah Isgur and David French to discuss the two business docket cases named Cox and Chevron, a message to the judges and justices who like concurrences, and advice for aspiring lawyers. The Agenda:–We are launching a newsletter!–The 5th Circuit’s Ten Commandment Ruling–Ditch the coercion test–How to become Lisa Blatt–Does the internet always win?–Peak sexiness, federal removal–Kudos to the government on its birthright citizenship oral argument–Shut down forum shopping–Hypothetical:  A daughter from a conservative Muslim family leaves the house every morning wearing a hijab … Show Notes:–Stone v. Graham–Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment–Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (24-813) Order Sarah’s bookhere. 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

They debate whether a Colorado pre-K case will prompt the Court to revisit long-standing religious-law precedent. They unpack the Fezzik Principle and whether public approval should shape Supreme Court behavior. They argue about professional pipelines to the bench and whether a former senator would change judicial dynamics. They also tackle shadow docket reporting, AI legal risks, and law‑school prep advice.

Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma and former businessman, joins to talk McGirt v. Oklahoma. He explains how the ruling reshaped jurisdiction, the messy real-world criminal justice consequences, and why Congress has not moved to fix it. Short, clear takes on state responsibilities, coordination headaches, and the political obstacles to compromise.

They tear into a Washington Post civil-rights data claim and debate how statistics and coding shape the story. They unpack Chiles v. Salazar and the statute’s reach versus brutal conversion practices. They wrestle with AI liability by comparing generative systems to traditional tools. They also cover Iowa K–6 gender instruction limits, library book rules, vaccine-exemption disputes, and contract duress fights.

A sharp clash between two Supreme Court justices sparks debate about propriety and public critique. They trace the odd history of corporate personhood and why companies get constitutional protections. Conversation turns to the narrowing judicial pipeline and whether elite clerkships limit diversity. A chaotic tour of circuit court quirks closes with rulings on distilling, pronouns, gambling, and seals.