Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch

Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.

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662 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes662

Newest first

Mar 27, 2020 · 1 hr 16 min
Confirmation Battles
David and Sarah talk coronavirus confusion, and Justice Clarence Thomas and confirmation battles with Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network.
Mar 23, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
Curb Your Parasites
David and Sarah touch on the latest from Capitol Hill, Biden's campaign, and Bloomberg lawsuit. The two then dive into the coming clashes between the state and federal governments over coronavirus, the U.S. women’s soccer team's equal pay lawsuit, and how they're spending their quarantine time.
Mar 19, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
In Chambers
David and Sarah talk with Chief Judge David Jones, of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston, about how the court system is handling coronavirus. Is the judge seeing an uptick in bankruptcies? David and Sarah also discuss the future of Bernie Sanders' movement and share an exciting announcement.
Mar 16, 2020 · 1 hr 1 min
Quarantine Law
David and Sarah answer all your questions about the legal issues raised by the coronavirus outbreak: enumerated powers, police powers, regulatory takings, quarantines, and martial law.
Mar 12, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
The Hillary Story
The president addressed the nation on the coronavirus outbreak, Harvey Weinstein gets 23 years in prison, and Hulu's new docuseries 'Hillary' is now streaming. David and Sarah have thoughts.
Mar 9, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min
SLAPP Shot
David and Sarah preview tomorrow's primaries with a special focus on Michigan, thoughts on coronavirus, the Trump campaign's lawsuits against the Times, the Post, and CNN, the execution of Nathaniel Woods, and an "in-depth" discussion on the XFL.
Mar 6, 2020 · 1 hr 14 min
Qualified Immunity Rap Battles
David and Sarah have Super Tuesday numbers to dive into, oral arguments in Louisiana's Supreme Court abortion case, FISA reform, qualified immunity, and is it okay to arrest six-year-olds?
Mar 2, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Delegate Fun Time
David and Sarah discuss the likelihood of a brokered convention after Joe Biden's big win in South Carolina, the appeal court's Don McGahn decision, the CFPB fight at the Supreme Court this week, and the intersection of #MeToo and revenge porn in the Katie Hill story.
Feb 28, 2020 · 57 min
Alligator Boots
David and Sarah speak with Liz Murrill, Louisiana's solicitor general, about her case before the Supreme Court June Medical Services v. Russo. The three discuss the facts of the high-profile abortion case, legal strategy, and how Liz preps to face the nation's highest court.
Feb 26, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Jurisprudence of Doubt
David and Sarah have a lot on their plate. Can Bernie Sanders assemble a coalition similar to Obama's 2008 campaign? Will the Supreme Court draw a line between religious freedom and nondiscrimination statutes? And who is David Ayres?
Feb 18, 2020 · 52 min
Tilting at Windmills
David and Sarah examine the decision to not prosecute Andrew McCabe, the eye-opening interview Harvey Weinstein's attorney gave, and answer which novels have most impacted them.
Feb 14, 2020 · 1 hr 7 min
Voir Dire
David and Sarah take on the whirlwind of news surrounding the Roger Stone case, go behind the scenes of opposition research, and share their thoughts on the Netflix docuseries "Cheer."
Feb 10, 2020 · 57 min
Potpourri of Awfulness
David and Sarah speak with Nikki Neily, president of Speech First, about bias response teams on college campuses, the history of speech codes, and pick their own Oscar winners.
Feb 3, 2020 · 1 hr 2 min
Unintended Consequences
David and Sarah look at polling shenanigans ahead of the Iowa caucuses, take a closer look at the history of the 17th Amendment, and discuss the impact of Apple's "The Morning Show."
Jan 27, 2020 · 58 min
All But Assured
David and Sarah discuss the news from John Bolton's book, what's wrong with Congress, and the death of Kobe Bryant.
Jan 22, 2020 · 1 hr 2 min
Play in the Joints
David and Sarah discuss the administration's moves to protect prayer in public schools with Jennie Bradley Lichter, the deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Little Sisters return to the Supreme Court, and justices will hear the faithless electors case.
Jan 16, 2020 · 48 min
Do Crimes
David and Sarah take a closer look at the new impeachment evidence, the continuing legal objections to the strike that killed Qassim Suleimani, and what exactly is Mike Bloomberg doing?
Jan 6, 2020 · 1 hr 1 min
Tom Hanks' Face
David and Sarah engage in a wide-ranging analysis of John Bolton's potential testimony before the Senate, whether Trump can tweet his way through the War Powers Act (or legally bomb cultural sites), and we discuss whether Chief Justice Roberts will touch Roe v. Wade. And then they talk about Tom Hanks at the Golden Globes.
Jan 3, 2020 · 59 min
Laws of War
Sarah and David discuss the killing of Iranian general Qassim Suleimani, ask WWJBD? (What would Jed Bartlett do?), and handicap the Democratic primary campaign. Sarah answers the burning question of the age -- is it better or worse to raise money in a wine cave?
Dec 24, 2019 · 1 hr 9 min
Zombie Obamacare
Former Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller joins to discuss the latest 5th Circuit opinion on Obamacare and David and Sarah discuss JK Rowling’s latest TERF tweet.

Advisory Opinions

Confirmation Battles

Curb Your Parasites

In Chambers

Quarantine Law

The Hillary Story

SLAPP Shot

Qualified Immunity Rap Battles

Delegate Fun Time

Alligator Boots

Jurisprudence of Doubt

Tilting at Windmills

Voir Dire

Potpourri of Awfulness

Unintended Consequences

All But Assured

Play in the Joints

Do Crimes

Tom Hanks' Face

Laws of War

Zombie Obamacare