Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
Slate Podcasts
A show about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America.Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
46 snips
May 9, 2026 • 1h 2min
The “Civility” Problem for Judges
Jeremy Fogel, former U.S. district judge and judicial educator, and Robert S. Lasnik, senior U.S. district judge and longtime commentator on judicial independence, discuss rising threats to judges. They talk about social media’s role, attacks from political leaders, historical authoritarian tactics, judges’ reluctance to respond, and how courts can push back while preserving civility and public trust.
36 snips
May 2, 2026 • 1h 3min
Racism’s Over and Seashells Can Be Deadly
Madiba Denny, voting-rights scholar critiquing originalism, and Barbara McQuade, former U.S. Attorney and law professor, discuss a shocking week for democracy. They examine the unlikely seashells-based threat prosecution, Todd Blanche’s politicized tactics, and the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision that reshapes Section 2 and invites racial mapmaking.
7 snips
Apr 29, 2026 • 8min
Preview: The Worst Voting Rights Decision Since Jim Crow
Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund and veteran civil rights litigator, breaks down a Supreme Court ruling that guts key Voting Rights Act protections. She traces the case's history, explains how precedent was overturned, and outlines the wide-reaching impact on elections from school boards to Congress.
60 snips
Apr 25, 2026 • 1h 4min
MAGA Media Law 101
Mark Joseph Stern, Supreme Court correspondent known for shadow docket reporting, and Margaret Sullivan, veteran media columnist and former public editor, join the conversation. They tackle meritless high-dollar defamation suits and how they chill reporting. They explore media consolidation, oligarch ownership, and weakened local news. They also break down leaked memos about the Supreme Court’s shadow docket and institutional motives.
43 snips
Apr 18, 2026 • 54min
Trump Thwarted, Orban Toppled: The New Roadmap for Democrats
Norm Eisen, former U.S. ambassador and democracy advocate, outlines a roadmap for democratic repair. He discusses Hungary’s rebuke to illiberalism and lessons for the U.S. He highlights legal fights that blocked authoritarian moves. He lays out a concise agenda: court reform, anti-corruption, safeguarding elections, turnout strategy, and practical steps for 2026.
41 snips
Apr 11, 2026 • 1h 6min
Time to Impeach Trump Again?
Michael Gerhardt, law professor and impeachment scholar, and Jamie Raskin, constitutional lawmaker and former impeachment manager, discuss impeachment and the 25th Amendment. They explore presidential fitness, a proposed bipartisan commission to assess it, the limits of a loyal cabinet, and why impeachment can matter even without removal. Short, urgent conversations about constitutional remedies and democratic safeguards.
68 snips
Apr 4, 2026 • 53min
Was it Worth it, Pam?
Conversation covers Pam Bondi’s dramatic exit from the Justice Department and the institutional damage left behind. They dissect President Trump attending Supreme Court arguments and the bungled birthright citizenship advocacy. The show unpacks the Court’s 8-1 decision in Childs v. Salazar and its threat to conversion therapy bans and professional speech regulation.
14 snips
Apr 1, 2026 • 5min
Preview: A Blowout for Birthright Citizenship at SCOTUS
Evan Bernick, law professor and legal scholar who co-authored a key amicus brief, breaks down the Supreme Court’s handling of the birthright citizenship fight. He recounts which justices seemed sympathetic to the administration and which were skeptical. Short, sharp takes on originalism arguments and how the court reacted to the Solicitor General’s shifting theories.
28 snips
Mar 28, 2026 • 54min
Trump Has a Plan for the Midterms, SCOTUS May Help
Ian Bassin, co-founder of Protect Democracy and former White House counsel, explains how democracy is retreating fast and why lawyers are changing tactics. He discusses the authoritarian playbook, courts acting as occasional speed bumps while others shift right, threats framed as deceive, disrupt, deny, and why mass participation and organizing are the ultimate safeguard.
49 snips
Mar 21, 2026 • 54min
The Roberts Court’s Internal Reckoning
Mark Joseph Stern, legal reporter known for sharp analysis of the Supreme Court, breaks down the Roberts Court’s chaotic term. He discusses the shadow docket's impact, high-stakes immigration and TPS fights, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s public objections, and the Chief Justice’s muted response to threats against judges. Short, urgent takes on how the Court’s procedures reshape real-world rights.
