Strict Scrutiny
Strict Scrutiny
Strict Scrutiny is a podcast about the United States Supreme Court and the legal culture that surrounds it.
Hosted by three badass constitutional law professors-- Leah Litman, Kate Shaw, and Melissa Murray-- Strict Scrutiny provides in-depth, accessible, and irreverent analysis of the Supreme Court and its cases, culture, and personalities. Each week, Leah, Kate, and Melissa break down the latest headlines and biggest legal questions facing our country, emphasizing what it all means for our daily lives.
Whether you’re a lawyer or law student, or you’re just here for the messy legal drama, Strict Scrutiny has you covered. New episodes out every Monday… plus bonuses whenever SCOTUS takes away another one of our rights.
Hosted by three badass constitutional law professors-- Leah Litman, Kate Shaw, and Melissa Murray-- Strict Scrutiny provides in-depth, accessible, and irreverent analysis of the Supreme Court and its cases, culture, and personalities. Each week, Leah, Kate, and Melissa break down the latest headlines and biggest legal questions facing our country, emphasizing what it all means for our daily lives.
Whether you’re a lawyer or law student, or you’re just here for the messy legal drama, Strict Scrutiny has you covered. New episodes out every Monday… plus bonuses whenever SCOTUS takes away another one of our rights.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 12, 2020 • 1h 9min
The Red Death
Leah and Melissa recap the first week of the October sitting, as well as all of the beginning of term developments on the Court’s docket, orders list, and so much more. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Oct 5, 2020 • 1h 5min
Fire Season
Leah, Melissa, and Kate bring their A+ Zoom game to NYU School of Law for a live-ish preview of the upcoming SCOTUS term. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Sep 28, 2020 • 52min
The Women Tell All
Leah, Melissa, and Kate discuss the President’s nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and the expedited process underway to confirm her. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Sep 21, 2020 • 57min
In Memoriam
Leah, Melissa, Kate are joined by Anne Joseph O’Connell, Adelbert H. Sweet Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and former clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Sep 14, 2020 • 60min
I Want More
Leah and Melissa interview Renee Knake Jefferson and Hannah Brenner Johnson about their book Shortlisted: Women In The Shadows Of The Supreme Court. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Sep 7, 2020 • 52min
Courts of the Conqueror
Leah is joined by Liz Reese, a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School, for a deep dive on the Court’s blockbuster Indian law case, McGirt v. Oklahoma, authored by the most interesting man in federal Indian law, Neil Gorsuch. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Aug 31, 2020 • 1h 1min
What Would Chief Justice Roberts Do?
Leah, Kate, and Melissa are joined by Dale Ho, director of the Voting Rights Project at the ACLU and low-key star of The Fight. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Aug 26, 2020 • 1h
Join Your Conflagrations
Leah, Kate, and Melissa are joined by Josie Duffy Rice, the President of The Appeal, to discuss the partnership with The Appeal. They also discuss breaking news, some criminal justice issues on the Court’s docket last term and this upcoming term, before closing with some recent advances on #brorights. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Aug 24, 2020 • 38min
RERELEASE: Bonus Pod- Melissa Murray on ACLU's "At Liberty"!
Melissa joins the ACLU's Emerson Sykes for an episode of their podcast, At Liberty. The Supreme Court struck down bans on interracial marriage in Loving v. Virginia, the landmark ACLU case decided in 1967. But the government‘s regulation of marriage and sex didn’t start with anti-miscegenation laws or end with Loving. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
Aug 17, 2020 • 51min
The Civility Alarm
Leah is joined by Amir Ali and Devi Rao from the Supreme Court & Appellate Program of the MacArthur Justice Center and Tiffany Wright of Orrick to discuss (the lack of) diversity in the appellate bar and its consequences. They also discuss two new organizations, The Appellate Project and Law Clerks for Diversity, that are trying to increase diversity in the appellate bar. Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!
3/6/26 – San Francisco
3/7/26 – Los Angeles
Learn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
