At 26 Federal Plaza, Manhattan’s largest immigration court, ICE agents have detained asylum seekers and other noncitizens as they arrive for hearings, turning the federal building into the epicenter of a controversial enforcement surge. 

In Sidebar’s ninth episode this season, we break down the legal fallout in New York federal courts and the impact inside the building’s 10th-floor holding cells with help from Courthouse News New York City reporter Erik Uebelacker. Despite a class action injunction from U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan addressing conditions and cell capacity, and a separate ruling from Judge P. Kevin Castel largely barring courthouse arrests, ICE has continued to carry out detentions under limited exceptions, fueling an ongoing legal battle over due process and the rule of law.

Special guest:

• Benjamin Remy, immigration attorney with New York Legal Assistance Group

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In our eighth episode this season, we take you to rural Texas, where Paluxy River Valley residents are determined to protect their water, land and way of life. Why has Texas become a new frontier for this rapidly expanding industry?

Tech advocates point to investment, jobs and the U.S.’s technological future. Data centers are critical to AI and the digital economy, but they can consume enormous amounts of electricity, water and land while generating noise and light pollution. As the data center boom accelerates, one question looms: How do we build the infrastructure of the future without sacrificing the places people call home?

Special guests:

• Rita Beving, North Texas representative for Public Citizen
• Joanne Carcamo, co-founder of Protect the Paluxy Valley
• Patrick Hedger, director of policy at NetChoice
• Robert Paterson, associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

A town with no mayor, no trustees, no clerk, and no publicly funded water system.

In our seventh episode this season, we travel four hours east of Denver to Hartman, Colorado, where a modern-day "Hatfields and McCoys" feud drove the entire town board to quit.

After years of bitter infighting, contested elections, financial disputes, and a physical altercation at a town meeting, the tiny plains community's government effectively collapsed. Hartman has become an unlikely case study in how a century-old abandonment law leaves residents to confront what happens when a town can no longer govern itself.

Can Hartman be saved, or has it already become a ghost town in waiting?

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

While some see a world where you can nap through a traffic jam, others see a data-hungry machine poised to replace human workers. In our sixth episode this season, we ride along in a Waymo through the streets of Austin, Texas, to explore how "the law of the newly possible" is struggling to keep up with cars that see the world through lasers and algorithms.

Who gets the ticket when an autonomous car breaks the law? And what happens to rideshare drivers when the "human" is removed from the equation?

Special guests:

• Bryant Walker Smith, professor at the University of South Carolina
• Nassim Parvin, professor at the University of Washington Information School
• Sergio Avedian, contributor to The Rideshare Guy and The Driverless Digest

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

While a judge in France takes an active role seeking the absolute truth, the U.S. system functions more like a high-stakes sporting event, where the judge serves as a referee between two competing sides.

In our fifth episode this season, we trace the evolution of trials from the Middle Ages, when "trials of ordeal" involved boiling water and "cursed morsels," to the Salem witch trials and how lawyers came to dominate U.S. courts.

Which system comes out on top? The answer may depend on what you think justice is supposed to do.

Special guests:

• Benjamin Legendre, journalist for Agence-France-Presse
• Walter Olson, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and founder of Overlawyered
• Carlton Larson, professor of constitutional law at UC Davis
• Lissa Griffin, professor of comparative law at Pace University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In our fourth episode this season, Josh Russell sits down with his New York courts colleague Erik Uebelacker to unpack the high-profile killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the looming dual trials for suspect Luigi Mangione.

Spanning state and federal courts, Mangione's prosecution raises questions for some about double jeopardy and due process. Beyond the courtroom, the case has taken on a life of its own, with Mangione emerging as both a polarizing figure and "progressive icon" as he galvanizes critics of the U.S. health care system and fuels debates over jury nullification and the influence of public opinion.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

We trace the roots of the civil rights law Section 1983 and Bivens, which once gave citizens a path to sue federal officers. But decades of court decisions have narrowed those paths dramatically. When national security and policy discretion enter the picture, do they become shields for misconduct?

Today, many victims are trapped in a legal black hole, where federal agents are often harder to sue than local counterparts.

Special guests:

• Mike Fox, legal fellow at the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice
• Marie Miller, attorney with the Institute for Justice
• Anya Bidwell, attorney with the Institute for Justice

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

What was once a legal grey area has moved into the mainstream, as betting doesn't stop with sports and has led to the rise of digital prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, where stats nerds and political junkies trade futures contracts on real-world outcomes on everything from Billboard charts to the next occupant of the Oval Office. Are these digital markets the new YouGov poll, or just a gamified version of the public square?

These markets often beat traditional polling by aggregating real-time data and financial incentives, but are they free from their users' biases?

Special guests: 

• Seth Shankle, avid sports bettor
• Koleman Strumpf, professor of economics at Wake Forest University
• Tom Miller, faculty director of the data science program at Northwestern University and operator of The Virtual Tout

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The surprising top dog in fantasy law? "Star Trek," with its prophetic examinations of AI and ownership. Should rights be reserved for biological life alone? Does the Prime Directive offer a universal model for human rights?

We also dive into the connection between fanfiction tinhatting and Supreme Court originalism, exploring why interpreting 18th-century intent is not so different from fans extrapolating the secret lives of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson.

Join us as we learn why 90% of Harry Potter's problems could have been solved with a lawyer.

[Editor's note: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is indeed named, numerous times, within. Proceed with caution!]

Special guests:

• Lenora Ledwon, professor of law at St. Thomas University
• Stacey Lantagne, professor of law at Suffolk University
• Kiersten Marcil, attorney and author of The Enlightened saga
• Fabrice Defferrard, professor of law at the University of Reims

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

We kick things off with the trial that dominated headlines with its circus-like atmosphere: The United States of America v. Sean "Diddy" Combs. The rapper and producer was acquitted in Manhattan of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by a jury, but convicted of transporting individuals for prostitution. The mixed verdict spared Combs a life sentence while raising questions about how far prosecutors can stretch RICO law as fans proclaimed, "Freako is not a RICO."

Next, with help from our France correspondent, Lily Radziemski, we head overseas to a trial fueled by internet rumor. French First Lady Brigitte Macron has gone on the offensive as conspiracy theorists spread false claims about her biological sex, testing the limits of free speech and whether courts can rein in online harassment.

And finally, back in Washington, D.C., reporter Ryan Knappenberger walks us through the sandwich heard 'round the District: Sean Dunn, a former Justice Department lawyer, was acquitted of assault after throwing a sandwich at federal agents during an immigration crackdown. The viral incident turned Dunn into a case study in protest, power and prosecutorial restraint.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

But behind the headlines, the real game is being played by billionaires. If the 2024 bromance between Trump and Elon Musk taught us anything, it’s that the richest Americans can pull the strings of democracy. 

In our penultimate episode of this season, we break down how the ultra-wealthy have doubled down on their political giving over the last decade, using their money to support candidates who align with their worldview. Year over year, their giving grows, stoking fears that our elected leaders are more beholden to these donors. 

Campaign finance reform and landmark Supreme Court decisions, like Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens United v. FEC, have transformed money into a form of speech. With super PACs and massive political spending dominating the conversation, are wealthy donors compromising the integrity of our democratic process?

Special guests:

• Rick Hasen, political science professor and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA
• Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform at Campaign Legal Center
• Josh Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin
• Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Robert Stroud was convicted of manslaughter and murder, but may be better known for the birds he raised and sold while an inmate at Leavenworth penitentiary. Stroud wrote two books about birds during his incarceration and gained respect among bird-lovers. That incongruity — a violent prisoner caring for these fragile animals — brought Hollywood to his prison door.

“Birdman of Alcatraz,” starring Burt Lancaster, brought Stroud a nickname and more notoriety, even though he wasn’t allowed to raise birds while an inmate at the island prison.

In our 12th (and spookiest) episode this season, author Jolene Babyak helps us peel back Stroud’s upbringing, psyche and journey through the prison system as we look into how Stroud became the complicated criminal he’s now known to be.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

But unlike the court’s regular docket, the justices can use the emergency docket without having to explain themselves or even reveal how they voted, earning its nickname as “the shadow docket.”

With a plethora of litigation critical to the administration’s effort to reshape the federal government, Courthouse News’ Supreme Court reporter Kelsey Reichmann takes us through the maze of major issues that could be decided without any hints as to how the court came to its conclusions. 

With so much litigation rising from federal court in Washington, D.C. or directly running afoul of laws passed by Congress, Courthouse News D.C. reporters Ben Weiss and Ryan Knappenberger also contributed to this episode. 

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

But now that they’ve lived through more than a decade of intense speculation of who flew on Epstein’s plane or went to his island of unthinkable debauchery, will they be satisfied with Trump’s explanation that the whole thing is just a hoax perpetrated by his political opponents? How do conspiracy theories like this one become so sticky? 

Join us for the next episode of Sidebar where we look into how the different arms of government are handling the unhealable sore of the Epstein files, and is there hope for justice for the lives destroyed by human trafficking beyond a prison suicide, or is this all political fodder for the next election cycle. 

Special guest:

·      Melina Tsapos

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

But these treasured lands and parks have suffered abuse, neglect and the constant threat of being sold off by zealous policymakers looking to open up millions of acres of protected space for development or resource mining, an act some experts akin to political suicide. 

Join us for the ninth episode of Sidebar this season as we poke around vast swaths of beaches, mountains, canyons and river beds in pursuit of what treasures these U.S. public lands hold. 

Special guests: 

• Chris Winter, executive director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center at the University of Colorado Law School
• Historian Gwen Lockman
• Arthur Gailes, research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
• Rick Williams, founder and executive director of the People of the Sacred Land
• John Leshy, emeritus distinguished professor of law at UC Law SF
• Author Jon Collins-Black

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The right to marry was a monumental acknowledgement, a significant step toward mainstream societal acceptance of the LGBTQ community, but the journey there was arduous, and how firm is the foundation upon which that right now stands? 

While a modern, more conservative court ponders such issues as whether parents can shield their kids from books with LGBTQ characters, we take a deep dive into pre-Obergefell America, a place where the evening news declared homosexuality as “embarrassing,” and states used sodomy laws to target same-sex couples. Join us for the eighth and final episode of our fifth season as we explore the road to Obergefell and where that road appears to be headed in the not-too distant future. 

Special guests: 

· Marc Stein

· Lee Carpenter

· Jenny Pizer

· John Bursch

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

While much of this financial burden stems from lawsuits involving the Los Angeles Police Department, housing discrimination and crumbling infrastructure, the city’s broken sidewalks account for a small but growing portion of the pot due to over 4,000 miles of sidewalks in various states of disrepair. Throw in some outdated policies and inadequate tree management as invasive roots of ficus trees contribute to woes, and you have an untenable situation.

Could spending and prioritizing public spaces stave off future liabilities? Find out in our seventh episode this season.

Special guests: 

• Attorney Mauro Fiore Jr.
• Attorney Chris Ardalan
• Jessica Meaney, executive director of Investing in Place
• Attorney Paula Pearlman

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Sixty years ago, the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick wondered whether androids dream and what about. As artificial intelligence moves from the realm of sci-fi into daily reality, helping companies and governments analyze data and make decisions, the questions of what mechanisms motivate AI and whether these programs can overcome human limitations remain unanswered.

Many tech leaders seem to believe we are on the cusp of having self-aware AI with intelligence that surpasses humans. Even if we don’t get there, we’re already facing places where current laws don’t really protect us.

Join us in our sixth episode this season for a tour through a not-so-post-apocalyptic landscape as companies and experts try to navigate how humans bring AI more and more to life. 

Special guests:

• Tyler Johnston, founder of the Midas Project
• Stephen Thaler, founder of Imagination Engines
• Ellie Pavlick, assistant professor of computer science and linguistics at Brown University
• Matthew Tokson, law professor at the University of Utah
• Scott Stevenson, CEO of Spellbook
• Ulysses Secrest, artist and owner of Aerarius Metalworks
• ChatGPT

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

These targeted executive orders — and the looming threat of more to come —  ultimately triggered several major American firms to quickly agree to provide tens of millions of dollars in pro bono legal work aligned with the administration’s priorities.

In our fifth episode this season, we look at what this means for Big Law, the $340 million of pledged pro bono legal work on Trump’s behalf and which firms are fighting back in the courts.

Special guests:

• Scott Cummings, law professor at UCLA School of Law
• Claire Finkelstein, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

After President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office in January, he flexed a newfound authority unlike his predecessors as he spent the first few weeks legislating through executive orders.

Whether you think Trump is above the law in practice or theory, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last July in Trump v. United States feels particularly poignant as his administration faces over 100 lawsuits under 100 days into his second term.

How does the court’s finding impact how Trump legislates from the executive branch? Does he really have the power to fire federal employees and the heads of nonpartisan bureaus? With the help of our D.C. reporters Ryan Knappenberger and Benjamin S. Weiss, we break this down and more in our fourth episode this season.

Special guests:

• Ben Olinsky, senior vice president for structural reform at the Center for American Progress
• Michael Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress
• Jed Shugerman, law professor at Boston University School of Law
• Sharece Thrower, political science professor at Vanderbilt University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

For the wrongfully convicted, tearful reunions and proclamations of justice from the courthouse steps only come after an arduous exoneration process paved with years of litigation.

The average person wrongfully convicted loses a decade of their life behind bars, learning the legal system and advocating for their innocence. As the number of exonerations rise annually, there is still no way to track how many people have suffered unjust convictions.

In the third episode of our fifth season, we journey through the highs and lows of post-conviction purgatory for people claiming innocence, from one Oklahoma man’s hand-written petitions to a New York man who waited nearly two decades for evidence to emerge for a lawyer to take his case.

Special guests:

• Andrea Miller, legal director of the Oklahoma Innocence Project
• Maurice Possley, researcher at the National Registry of Exonerations
• Justin Brooks, co-founder of the California Innocence Project
• Laneshia Jordan, Texas attorney
• Jeffrey Deskovic, exoneree and attorney
• Michael Grant, exoneree and assistant director of The Liberation Foundation
• Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen Mix
• Carl Wyatt, Oklahoma inmate asserting innocence

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

But that's not the only time it comes up in court. It's been used in criminal court to go after motorcycle clubs, wealthy investors, the Key West Police Department in Florida, R&B singer R. Kelly and even President Donald Trump, but also in civil cases, like against Big Tobacco and sex abuse claims against the Catholic Church. 

RICO is the subject of our second episode this season: What it is, what it isn't and why it's used so much in one particular state.

Special guests:

• George Anastasia, former Philadelphia Inquirer crime reporter
• Jeff Grell, an attorney and lecturer at the University of Minnesota Law School
• Eric Seidel, former deputy attorney general in charge of New York’s Organized Crime Task Force
• Joe Lancaster, an assistant editor at Reason

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

As America welcomes a new president, a particular media company welcomes a new owner. Well, almost. 

That’s why we’re here to guide you through the uncertainty of a certain bankruptcy process, promising to determine who will own one of the nation’s most controversial media companies, one whose name sums it all up with a bow: Infowars.

Despite over a billion dollars in defamation judgments, Alex Jones remains vocal online as he continues to operate his media empire while a bankruptcy court determines its future owner.

Will satirical news outlet The Onion eventually wrest control away from Jones? And what sort of implications does the case have on disinformation and free speech? All we know is the battle for Infowars is far from over.

Special guests:

• Dan Friesen, co-host of the Knowledge Fight podcast
• Christopher Hampson, professor of law at the University of Florida
• Nolan Higdon, critical media literacy scholar and lecturer at the University of California Santa Cruz

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

And there’s no better way to kick this party off than Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial in state history: The prolonged RICO trial of Young Thug and alleged violent street gang Young Slime Life in Atlanta. To guide you through the ins and outs of a trial with more twists and defendants than an M. Night Shyamalan movie is our Atlanta reporter, Megan Butler.

Up next, with help from our intrepid New York reporter Erik Uebelacker, we turn our attention to the National Rifle Association’s legal troubles, detailing the two trials over former NRA President Wayne LaPierre’s misuse of the organization’s funds for personal luxury and how the NRA will govern itself going forward.

To round out an episode jampacked with acronyms, why did a judge throw out a $4.7 billion verdict against the NFL over antitrust violations connected to its Sunday Ticket package after fans claimed the price was artificially inflated? Edvard Pettersson has the answer.

See you in January with new episodes you won’t want to miss.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

How did we move away from serious images of Lady Justice and authoritative judges clad in black robes to swaths of color and happy trees? How did art get into the judicial system to begin with?

In our penultimate episode this season, we bring you the artists who capture vivid portraits that honor state justices and attorneys not often memorialized in art and how courtroom sketches transcend photography to paint a picture of a defendant up close and personal or document moments of social change.

Special guests:

• Roger Laux Nelson, a landscape artist with works in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
• Ximena Velázquez-Arenas, an artist and attorney
• Ted Ellis, an artist and director of Florida State University’s Civil Rights Institute 
• Jennifer Gibson, director of the Center for Fine Arts at the General Services Administration
• Drew Alderson, manager of the Colorado Judicial Learning Center
• Joan Kee, director of the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University
• Vicki Behringer, a courtroom sketch artist

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden
• Mark Olshaker, co-author of The Cases That Haunt Us

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Don Knight, Richard Glossip’s attorney
• Robert Dunham, director at the Death Penalty Policy Project and special counsel at Phillips Black
• Oklahoma state Representative Justin Humphrey
• Sasha Buchert, director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal
• Eric Tirschwell, executive director of Everytown Law
• Cody Wilson, director of Defense Distributed
• Kevin Tobia, a professor of law and philosophy at Georgetown
• Erin Erhardt, litigation counsel at the National Rifle Association

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, election lawsuits are flooding courts across the U.S., with the timing of some geared more toward grabbing headlines than achieving legal resolutions. Allegations aren’t considered true until a judge’s final order, but that doesn’t stop people from believing them.

In our 10th episode this season, we uncover the raw truths behind the politicized world of election integrity starting in Grand Junction, Colo., where a 2021 municipal election became a flashpoint for ideological battles and unfounded claims of voter fraud leading to the intricate legal quagmire surrounding Tina Peters, a former Colorado election official embroiled in controversy.

From there, we zero in on the world of pre-election litigation and voter registration errors in legal battles raging across states like Arizona, Ohio and Pennsylvania, touching on the delicate balance between security and transparency.

Special guests:

• Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr.  
• Bobbie Gross, clerk and recorder for Mesa County, Colo.
• Abe Herman, mayor of Grand Junction, Colo.
• Marly Hornik, chief executive officer of United Sovereign Americans   
• Leah Tulin, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice’s Democracy Program
• Witold "Vic" Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

And yet, his trajectory from state representative to Texas’ top cop continues upward, setting him up as a possible candidate for a potential second Donald Trump administration.

In our ninth episode this season, we unravel how a group of whistleblowers reported alleged misconduct by Paxton to the FBI, sparking a series of retaliatory actions and a legislative probe that set the stage for a dramatic showdown in a high-stakes impeachment trial that led to a not guilty verdict.

What broader implications for the state Republican Party's internal dynamics awaited post-acquittal? Dear listener, tune in so you don't miss out on this exploration of one of Texas' most polarizing and powerful political figures.

Special guests:

• Lara Hollingsworth, partner at Durham, Pittard & Spalding
• Cal Jillson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University
• Ann Johnson, representative of Texas House District 134
• Tom Nesbitt, attorney at DeShazo & Nesbitt
• Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Can courthouse design impact justice?

You’ve joined us right in the middle of America’s greatest era of civics construction. Over the last 30 years, the federal government spent more than $10 billion building or renovating more than 200 federal courts, not to mention all the new state ones. Due to growing caseloads, more judges get appointed, who, in turn, need more space for more staff.

In our eighth episode this season, we detail the history behind grand, historical courthouse and the innovation of more modern designs, like the “Cube” in Los Angeles. From the architects crafting light-filled, functional courthouse spaces to the sheriffs seeking to amplify light inside to prioritize mental health and security for inmates and staff alike, we bring you the thoughts behind the critical evolution in courthouse design.

A quick editor’s note: we are off for our summer break until August. See you then, same time, same place!

Special guests:

• Curtis Fentress, principal in charge of design at Fentress Architects
• Denver Sheriff Elias Diggins 
• Denver County Court Judge Frances Simonet
• Kate Merrill, wedding photographer

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

You may have heard of one: U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. With Kacsmaryk’s rulings, Texas has been able to dictate federal discrimination guidance for transgender employees and commandeer the Biden administration’s immigration policies. He also tried to limit abortion access nationwide, issuing a ruling that would have removed the abortion drug mifepristone from shelves across the country.

In Sidebar’s seventh episode this season, we bring you the inside baseball of judge shopping. Federal rules govern how many judges are assigned to a court, and when a court has a division with only one judge at the helm, it becomes easier to know who will hear your case.

Special guests:

• Brook Gotberg, law professor at Brigham Young University
• Laura Coordes, law professor at Arizona State University
• Steve Vladeck, law professor at the University of Texas at Austin
• Jonas Anderson, law professor at the University of Utah

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Special guests:

• Attorney Mark Geragos, who represents former “Vanderpump Rules” stars Rachel Leviss and Faith Stowers
• Brian Moylan, author of “The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives”
• Attorneys Cesie Alvarez and Angela Angotti of “The Bravo Docket” podcast

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Jennifer Jenkins, a Duke University professor of law and director of the university's Center for the Study of the Public Domain
• Mike Masnick, writer and founder of Techdirt
• Corynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of Copyright Alliance

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Join us for our fourth episode this season as we navigate this tumultuous terrain, dissecting the seismic shifts and looming legal — and political — battles that promise to keep this issue at the forefront of national discourse. As states become battlegrounds with polarized stances on reproductive laws, how will the growing schism impact our collective moral compass and individual liberties?

Hold onto your seats as we examine the Supreme Court’s potential reshaping of federal authority over FDA-approved abortion medications like mifepristone and the state-level legislation redrawing the battleground of reproductive rights by either restricting or safeguarding abortion access, spotlighting Alabama’s legal contortions over fetal personhood and its deep entanglement with in vitro fertilization treatments that could eventually redefine reproductive autonomy. 

Special guests:

• Dale Cecka, director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic at Albany Law School
• Chelsey Youman, national legislative advisor for Human Coalition Action 
• Grace Howard, associate professor of justice studies at San Jose State University
• Dana Sussman, deputy executive director at Pregnancy Justice
• Aziza Ahmed, law professor at Boston University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

A long-running feud between eviction lawyers Dennis Block and Danny Bramzon cumulated into a Twitter parody account and a libel lawsuit that made it all the way to a jury trial.

In the third episode this season, we take the temperature of defamation law in the 21st century when it comes to X, formerly known as Twitter.

Block isn’t the only one unsuccessful in the courtroom. A lawsuit that sought to take down Elon Musk over his infamous “pedo guy” tweet failed, as did efforts by “badass lawyer” Todd Levitt and former Congressman Devin Nunes over their Twitter impersonators.

Why is it so hard to win a defamation lawsuit when digital satire is at play? The courtroom becomes a crucible, with jurors and judges wrestling over the true nature of parody, leaving us pondering the potential repercussions of a legal system scrambling to catch up with the online world’s rapid evolution.

Special guests:

• Eric Anderson, an attorney for Bramzon’s firm, Basta
• Christopher Frost, an attorney for Block
• Eugene Volokh, UCLA law professor and blogger at The Volokh Conspiracy 
• Gordon Bloem, an attorney sued by Levitt
• Paul Alan Levy, an attorney at Public Citizen 
• Ryan Mac, tech reporter at The New York Times 

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Our very own Amanda Pampuro and Kelsey Reichmann meticulously dissect the twists and turns of the legal journey that led to this point, from the initial lawsuit by concerned Colorado voters to the constitutional debates the ensued before SCOTUS.

How great is the magnitude of this ruling, not just for Trump’s potential return to the highest office in the land, but for its groundbreaking implications on the constitutional standards that determine who can lead the nation?

Special guest: 

·         Mark Graber, law professor at the University of Maryland

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Everything is heart-shaped and pink. People are getting ready for a special night with their special someone. 

In our second episode this season, we take you through the dark alleyways of online dating, where $1.3 billion vanished into the pockets of scammers in just one year, and peel back the layers of marketing sleights of hand that extend far beyond the realm of matchmaking. 

From mimosas without champagne to candy heart boxes with more filler than chocolate, we dissect the conflict between what's advertised and what lands in consumers' hands — a legal battlefield constantly redefining the line between enticing and misleading. 

Special guests:

• “Al,” pro se plaintiff who sued Bumble  
• Kevin Lewis, sociology professor at UC San Diego
• Attorney Spencer Sheehan
• Attorney Robert Freund
• Jennifer Pomeranz, public health attorney and NYU professor
• Bonnie Patten, executive director of Truth in Advertising

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Since the high-profile murder of Gabby Petito, it feels like hobby investigators have gained more prominence, from the initial mystery of the University of Idaho student murders to the Rainey Street Ripper, the Austin, Texas, serial killer that wasn't.

What's behind the psychological forces that drive this online phenomenon?

Special guests:

• David Schmid, professor of English at the University of Buffalo
• Rachel Monroe, author of “Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession”
• Chance Townsend, assistant editor at Mashable

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

It's hard to divvy out awards for the most important or interesting cases of 2023 when former President Donald Trump has dominated so many of them. This was the year Trump took over Courthouse News, appearing in court as a defendant many times.

From charges in New York that Trump schemed to make illegal hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and an indictment over Trump mishandling classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago resort to another indictment in Georgia over conspiracy to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, 2023 saw Trump dominating headlines. This trend is unlikely to die down next year as the cases ramp up and he forges ahead as the Republican Party's No. 1 guy to run against President Joe Biden.

But it wasn't all about Trump. No courtroom drama is off-limits as we also spotlight the fraud trial of cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried and the murder trial of South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh. Sit back, pop some bubbly and join us as we sift through the year's most riveting legal tales.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Take a seat, Sidebar listeners, as we dive into the heart of public education and its role in our democracy for our penultimate episode this season. We take you beyond the classroom, looking at landmark rulings like Brown v. Board of Education and highlighting the dual role of public schools: to educate and to unite individuals of various backgrounds in a shared vision.

Gear up to navigate the treacherous waters of the school choice movement with us, from religious schools to church-state separation and the impact on the future of public education.

Special guests:

• Derek Black, law professor at the University of South Carolina
• Steve Suitts, adjunct lecturer at Emory University
• Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
• John Bursch, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom
• Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

There are no tricks here as we examine the chilling circumstances behind the notorious Salem witch trials and the ensuing paranoia that led to widespread accusations and tragic executions. How has Salem maintained its hold on the American psyche for more than 300 years?

Hold on to your broomstick as we ride through this spine-chilling side of the past.

Special guests:

• Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and author of “The Witches: Salem, 1692”
• Marion Gibson, Renaissance and magical literatures professor at the University of Exeter and author of “Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials”

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Sarah Bennett, principal and managing attorney at Sodoma Law North
• Kevin Lindke, plaintiff in Lindke v. Freed before the Supreme Court
• Robert Corn-Revere, chief counsel at FIRE
• Dan Walters, professor at Texas A&M University School of Law
• Jasmine Harris, professor at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Constance Grady, culture writer for Vox
• Tamlyn Currin, wine writer and editor for Jancis Robinson
• Nancy Chemtob, founder and partner at Chemtob Moss Forman & Beyda
• Steven Mandel, founder at The Mandel Law Firm

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Noah Duguid, who sued Facebook over unwanted texts 
• Roger Anderson, founder of the Jolly Roger Telephone Company
• Eric Troutman, defense attorney and “czar” of the TCPA 
• Chris Laccinole, a frequent TCPA litigator 
• Isaac Shloss, chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Professional Associations for Customer Engagement 
• Attorney Jay Edelson

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Our first stop in our seventh episode this season? The Greater Idaho movement, a grassroots organization that aims to shift the Idaho state border to encompass eastern Oregon and escape the liberal politics of the Beaver State.

The trip wouldn’t be complete without the State of Jefferson in rural Northern California and southern Oregon, a movement driven by discontent and boosted in popularity by a San Francisco Chronicle reporter during World War II.

Buckle up, and let's hit the road!

Special guests:

• Matt McCaw, spokesman for the Greater Idaho movement
• Peter Laufer, journalist and journalism professor at the University of Oregon
• Bryan Clark, opinion writer at the Idaho Statesman
• Norman Williams, law professor at Willamette University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Join us for this season's sixth episode as we tell their story and explore how their money got caught up in a vault at the center of a federal investigation.

The story doesn't stop there. We also hear from trucker Jerry Johnson, who also experienced civil forfeiture firsthand when his $39,500 in cash was seized by the Phoenix Police Department after he flew into the city to buy a big rig. It took years and help from the Institute for Justice to get his money back.

Special guests:

• Linda Martin
• Benjamin Gluck, an attorney with Bird Marella
• Steve Welk, a former assistant U.S. attorney
• Jeni Pearsons
• Dan Alban, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice
• Jerry Johnson
• Bob Belden, an attorney at the Institute for Justice

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Pull up a chair as we bring you into the comedy club and beyond. Laughter may be the best medicine, but how does it hold up in court? Over the decades, courts carved out clear First Amendment protections for comics facing criminal obscenity and parodists taken a little too seriously. While the past informs the present, the rare joker can still find himself at the wrong end of the law over a Facebook post.

In our fifth episode this season, we break down how certain words are OK under the eyes of the law, courtesy of the infamous Lenny Bruce obscenity trials. We also delve into cases like Jerry Falwell's defamation lawsuit against Hustler magazine and the challenges of navigating social media and free speech. Spoiler alert: the First Amendment is not always so cut and dry, causing some parodists to find out the hard way that it does not protect all speech, funny or not.

Join us as we navigate the often amusing and sometimes controversial world of jokes and their legal consequences.

Special guests:

• Waylon Bailey, heavyweight boxer from Forest Hill, Louisiana.
• Douglas Linder, professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
• James Flynn, managing director at Epstein Becker Green
• Caroline Grace Brothers, an attorney with the Institute for Justice
• Anthony Novak, parodist from Parma, Ohio  
• Mike Gillis, lead writer for The Onion

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In this season's fourth episode, we dive into the history and impact of the laws. We explore the story of a Brooklyn nightclub suing New York for refusing to issue a special event permit for extended hours on New Year's Eve and the ongoing debate surrounding blue laws and their place in modern society. And we also look at the upside: how these laws give some workers the reprieve they need from a long work week.

Prepare for a joyride through a legal antique shop, just hope the lawman doesn't catch us!

Special guests:

• Polina Buckley, owner of nightclub Eris Evolution
• Jonathan Corbett, a civil rights attorney
• Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Kate Dylewsky, assistant director of government affairs at the Animal Welfare Institute
• John Goodwin, senior director of the Stop Puppy Mills campaign at the Humane Society of the United States
• Tim Pylate, executive director at Armand Bayou Nature Center
• Zandra Anderson, animal law attorney

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Joseph Chora
• Jay Adkisson
• Ron Slates

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Michelle Hanlon, co-director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi
• Kojiro Fujii, attorney at Nishimura + Asahi in Japan and executive committee member at Nishimura Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
• Skip Smith, space law attorney at Sherman & Howard
• Michael Dodge, associate professor of space studies at the University of North Dakota
• Kelli Kedis Ogborn, vice president of space commerce and entrepreneurship at Space Foundation
• Avishai Melamed, graduate student in Cornell University's Department of Government

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• David Noll, law professor at Rutgers Law School
• John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life
• Louise Melling, deputy legal director at the ACLU and director of its Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Sophia Lin Lakin, interim co-director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voter Rights Project
• Mitchell Brown, counsel for voting rights at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice
• Amelia Brankov, attorney and chair of the Art Law Committee of the New York Bar Association
• Kathryn Fort, director of clinics at the Michigan State University College of Law
• Angelique EagleWoman, law professor and director of the Native American Law and Sovereignty Institute at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Roqy Tyraid, hip-hop artist and member of the ACLU of Arizona’s Board of Directors
• Clay Calvert, law professor at the University of Florida
• Margaret Russell, law professor at Santa Clara University School of Law
• Walter Olson, senior fellow at the Cato Institute
• Charis Kubrin, professor of criminology, law and society at the University of California, Irvine
• Adam Dunbar, professor at the University of Nevada, Reno
• J. Christopher Hamilton, assistant professor at the Newhouse School for Public Communications at Syracuse University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, a trial consultant that has helped pick 600 juries, including for O.J. Simpson’s defense team
• Denise de La Rue, a trial consultant that helped pick juries for Ted Kaczynski, Eric Rudolph and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s defense teams
• Mark Drummond, director of the Civil Jury Project at NYU

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Carlene Tanigoshi Tinker, an 82-year-old survivor of Amache 
• Ken Kitajima, a 91-year-old Amache survivor  
• Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, the granddaughter of Amache survivors  
• Mitch Homma, the son of Amache survivors 
• Bonnie J. Clark, professor of anthropology at the University of Denver
• Calvin Hada, president of the Nikkeijin-Kai of Colorado 
• Gabriel “Jack” Chin, law professor at the University of California Davis
• Richard Primus, law professor at the University of Michigan

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Ann Meilus, president of the Barre Museum Association
• Manny and Renee Iron Hawk, Lakota members of HAWK 1890, a society for the survivor descendants of the Wounded Knee Massacre
• Shannon O’Loughlin, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, and CEO and attorney for the Association on American Indian Affairs
• Claire Whitner, director of curatorial affairs and curator of European art at the Worcester Art Museum
• Wesley Fisher, director of research for the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and the World Jewish Restitution Organization
• Jennifer Kreder, law professor at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Laura Briggs, professor of women, gender, sexuality studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Louise Melling, deputy legal director for the ACLU
• Kimberly Mutcherson, dean and professor of law at Rutgers Law School

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Xiyin Tang, assistant professor of law at UCLA School of Law
• Jason Whiting, professor of marriage and family therapy at Brigham Young University
• Raees Mohamed, defamation attorney at RM Warner
• Michael Balter, journalist
• Lyrissa Lidsky, dean of the University of Missouri School of Law

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Michael Rocca, political science professor at the University of New Mexico
• Gunner Ramer, political director at the Republican Accountability Project
• Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute
• Megan Burns, communications and digital director for the Colorado Democratic Party
• Kristi Burton Brown, chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party
• Tyler Allcorn, candidate for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Ali Arko, defamation and content removal attorney with Kohrman Jackson & Krantz
• Paul Sternberg, internet defamation attorney
• Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
• David Krause, editor of The Aspen Times

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Ev Meade, director of Proceso Pacífico
• Marianna Treviño-Wright, executive director of the National Butterfly Center
• Brian Segee, endangered species legal director of the Center for Biological Diversity

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• Terry Gross, attorney at Gross & Belsky
• Paige Kaneb, supervising attorney at the Northern California Innocence Project
• Rebecca Young, attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office
• Patrick Murray, attorney at Keker, Van Nest & Peters

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Kelsey Reichmann, our Supreme Court reporter, joins Sidebar producer and Austin-based reporter Kirk McDaniel to discuss what the ruling means, how we got here and where we go from here.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Then, we break down the oddest, wildest cases and news events that the podcast team has covered. From monkey selfies and Lil Nas X's Satan shoes to Utah's near-ban on porn and a Halal chicken story that just doesn't quit, some stories are enough to make us scratch our heads and stifle a laugh.

Special guests:

• Peter Davenport, director of the National UFO Reporting Center
• Kate Dorsch, historian of science and a postdoctoral teaching fellow at the University of Pennsylvania
• Larry Klayman, Judicial Watch founder
• Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Then we take a deep dive into a border emergency not often discussed: human waste flowing in the Tijuana River Basin. What will it take for the U.S. and Mexico to tackle the sewage crisis, expected to worsen as Tijuana's population increases?

Last, we hear from our own Matthew Renda on the Elizabeth Holmes trial. Holmes and her company, Theranos, promoted a portable blood testing device that promised to revolutionize the medical testing industry. The federal government says it was all a lie to bilk investors of millions.

Special guests:

• Jeremy Heft, biologist at the Wolf Education & Research Center
• Bonnie Brown, executive director of the Colorado Wool Growers Association
• Brian Wakeling, game management bureau chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
• Karin Vardaman, founder-director of Working Circle
• Bethany Case, co-chair of Surfrider San Diego’s Clean Border Water Now campaign
• Joseph Palmer, supervising environmental health specialist for San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Then, we dive into the conspiracy theory QAnon, the Jan. 6 insurrection, the events that followed the 2020 presidential election and the effects all of this has had on the American psyche. How did disinformation and conspiracy theories grow in the United States, and what sort of lasting effects may they have on the body politic?

Special guests:

• Ahilan Arulanantham, law professor and co-director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law
• Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Berkeley School of Law
• Kimberly Mutcherson, co-dean of Rutgers Law School
• Ilan Wurman, law professor at Arizona State University
• Matthew Hannah, assistant professor of digital humanities at Purdue University
• Ethan Zuckerman, professor of public policy communication and information at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Zack Smith, legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation
• Marilyn Marks, executive director of Coalition for Good Governance
• Brooke Binkowski
• Jitarth Jadeja

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

We also break down the Republican-led effort to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom and dig into who stands to benefit from the recall race, even if they don't win at the ballot box.

Lastly, we hear about the long-fought legal and political battles over student-athlete pay, which spurred changes in the world of college sports this year after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA's restrictions on education-related compensation to athletes.

Special guests:

• Former Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin
• Gabe Feldman, director of the sports law program at Tulane University
• Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Chris Finan, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship
• Alex Joel, adjunct professor at American University’s Washington College of Law
• Wesley Hussey, political science professor at Sacramento State
• Rakesh Kilaru, attorney for NCAA

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Then we face California's wildfires – a fact of life in the Golden State that is no longer limited to a season or the forested areas.

Last, we break down why the drought is here to stay and how it's playing out in real time on the West Coast.

Special guests:

• Amir AghaKouchak, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Irvine
• Sharon Megdal, director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona
• Fraser Shilling, environmental science professor at UC Davis
• Doug Parker, director of the California Institute for Water Resources

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Then we hear from several experts on the First Amendment battle between anti-vaccine activists and Facebook and how it affects vaccine misinformation spread across social media. 

In our last segment we bring you an update on the ongoing Texas legislative session, which both political aisles have dubbed as the most conservative yet. 

Special guests:

• Amesh Adalja, infectious disease expert and professor at Johns Hopkins University
• Phil Napoli, public policy professor at Duke University
• Sharona Hoffman, professor and co-director of The Law-Medicine Center at Case Western Reserve University
• Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

To start, we break down efforts by California lawmakers to light a fire on legalizing a host of psychedelics. 

Then, we hear from investigative journalist Sarah Berman about NXIVM, a sex cult with some high-profile members that preyed on vulnerable women. 

We wrap it up by detailing all you need to know about the upcoming criminal trial against R&B singer R. Kelly, who faces kidnapping, coercion and child pornography charges. 

Special guests:

• Leigh Bienen, senior lecturer at Northwestern University School of Law
• Candice Norcott, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Chicago
• Michael Leonard, attorney

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Lastly, we see how efforts are going in Colorado to revitalize the population of a small bird with impressive features: the Gunnison sage grouse.

Special guests:

• Florian Ederer, economics professor at Yale University
• David Olson, law professor at Boston College
• Herb Hovenkamp, antitrust law professor at University of Pennsylvania

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

We also take a look at a federal jury trial over a freezer tank failure that destroyed thousands of frozen eggs and embryos, and preview California's fight for gun reform coming to the Ninth Circuit.

Special guests:

• Sarah Labowitz, policy and advocacy director with ACLU of Texas
• Esther Sanchez-Gomez, litgation attorney at Giffords Law Center
• Dr. Bill Durston, president of Americans Against Gun Violence
• Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

• San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin
• Sam Lewis, executive director of the Anti Recidivism Coalition
• Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program
• Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California
• Sgt. Donnell Walters, president of the Ethical Society of Police
• Greg Akili, director of the Fannie Lou Hamer Institute
• Jared O’Brien, organizer with the Youth Justice Coalition
• Cristine Soto DeBerry, executive director of Prosecutors Alliance
• Julia Yoo, president of the National Police Accountability Project

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. 

Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.