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The Legal Geeks

Joshua Gilliland

The Legal Geeks are proud to be attorneys and geeks. We have been recognized by the ABA Journal Web 100 for one of the best legal podcasts in 2017 and nominated for Best Podcast by the Geekie Awards in 2015. Please enjoy our podcasts exploring legal issues Sci Fi, comic books, and pop culture, from Star Wars to Captain America and all things geek. Our podcasts are not legal advice and for entertainment only. 

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 47 min
  • English

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Episodes 20

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  • July 30 · 50 min

    The Law of Spider-Noir at San Diego Comic Con

    Recorded Live at San Diego Comic Con on July 24, 2026! Lawyers take on the Amazon series Spider-Noir. What are the rules for private eyes fighting organized crime? What war crimes are committed by performing experiments on prisoners of war? Which crime carries the more stringent penalty: vigilantism or violating Prohibition? A panel of judges and attorneys examines the web of legal issues in Spider-Noir, taking on the black-and-white questions of the law. Featuring Kathy Steinman (San Diego Deputy City Attorney), Michael Dennis, Stephen Tollafield, Vana Palacio (Greenberg Traurig, LLP), and Michael Skeen. Moderated by Kate Bridal (Now It's Ruined Podcast). Presented by The Legal Geeks. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • July 30 · 50 min

    Star Trek 60th: Celebrating the Law of the Genesis Trilogy

    Recorded Live at SDCC on July 23, 2026! The Star Trek films Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home all ask the question: How do you define victory in the no-win scenario? Lawyers face that question regularly when representing people in legal jeopardy. A panel of judges and lawyers examine legal issues from the "Genesis Trilogy," including the legality of the Genesis Device; whether the insanity defense applies to someone with a Ceti Alpha V eel wrapped around their cerebral cortex; whether the necessity defense applies to stealing the USS Enterprise; whether it is legal to park a Bird of Prey in Golden Gate Park; and whether you can violate the Marine Mammal Protection Act to save the planet. Featuring U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve Chu (United States District Court for the Southern District of California), U.S. Magistrate Judge Stan Boone (United States District Court for the Eastern District of California), Judge Danna Nicholas (San Diego County Superior Court), Christine Peek (McManis Faulkner), Mark Zaid (Mark S. Zaid, P.C.), and Joshua Gilliland (Best Best & Krieger LLP; co-founder of The Legal Geeks). Moderated by Katrina Wraight (Best Best & Krieger LLP). Organized by The Legal Geeks. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • May 15 · 8 min

    Daredevil Born Again Season 2 Review

    Josh Gilliland breaks down the many problems with Daredevil Born Again Season 2 on how the story missed big political and legal issues. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • April 2 · 36 min

    Star Trek 60: Troubling Tribbles

    Tribbles are an iconic species in Star Trek. Cute. Cuddling. Invasive. Join us as we continue celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Star Trek with the ever multiplying legal issues with Tribbles. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • March 29 · 49 min

    Recorded Live at WonderCon!

    Life from WonderCon on March 27, 2026! What is the state of the law after a nuclear war? How could the Enclave be held accountable for starting the Great War 200 years later? What is the liability for Vault-Tech, RobCo Industries, West Tek, REPCONN Aerospace, and Big MT for their part in ending the world? What is the legal status of the New California Republic and the Legion? Can the Brotherhood of Steel go around killing Ghouls? Join our panel of lawyers and judges as they journey into the Wasteland to discuss the medical ethics of human experimentation, Ghoul rights, and more. Get ready for megatons of law. Featuring U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Wright (United States District Court District of Minnesota), Judge Carol Najera (Los Angeles County Superior Court), Katrina Wraight, Esq. (Best Best & Krieger LLP), Vanessa Palacio, Esq., (Greenberg Traurig, LLP), and Kate Bridal (Now It's Ruined Podcast). Moderated by Joshua Gilliland, Esq. (The Legal Geeks). Presented by The Legal Geeks. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • March 10 · 43 min

    Star Trek 60th: Measure of a Man Review

    We are continuing our review of Star Trek episodes over the last 60 years with Star Trek The Next Generation episode, "The Measure of a Man." Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • January 20 · 1 hr 5 min

    Review of Star Trek Starfleet Academy Episodes "Kids These Days" and "Beta Test"

    Ring the bell, because school is in session for Starfleet Academy. Join Josh Gilliland and Jordon Huppert for their analysis of the first two episodes of the new Star Trek series. Did Nus Braka and Anisha Mir have a fair "trial”? Where was defense counsel? Was that just a sentencing? Join Josh and Jordon for their analysis of Starfleet Academy. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • January 5 · 48 min

    Star Trek 60th - Review of Journey to Babel

    We are kicking off our celebration for the 60th Anniversary of Star Trek with the The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel." Join us for diplomatic immunity, murder, attempted murder, the duty to volunteer for a medical procedure, hazarding a vessel, and conspiracy to commit fraud. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Dec 1, 2025 · 51 min

    Recorded Live at Fan Expo - The Law of 1985 Cult Classic Movies

    We had a blast celebrating the movies from 1985 at Fan Expo San Francisco! Tune in for the live recording from our panel on November 30, 2025. The Law of 1985 Cult Movies Great Scott! The Movies of 1985 are packed with legal issues! Goonies. Better Off Dead. Back to the Future. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. These are just a few of the classic films from 1985. Join our panel of lawyers and judges as they break down whether 1980s kids could keep One Eyed Willy’s treasure; unfair debt collection by paperboys; facilitating international terrorism in order to build a time machine; bicycle larceny. These are just a few of the many legal issues from the cult classics of 1985. This, this is our time to break down the Law of 1985 Movies. Presented by The Legal Geeks. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Dec 1, 2025 · 51 min

    Recorded Live at Fan Expo SF - Life Legally after being the Villain in Star Wars 

    We had an amazing time at Fan Expo San Francisco. Thank you everyone who attended our panel, had awesome questions, and fantastic discussion after our presentation. Life Legally After Being the Villain in Star Wars Crosshair, Alexsandr Kallus, Barriss Offee, and Asajj Ventress, are all former villains who abandoned being the “bad guy.” Are they forgiven for their crimes? How is their status as former Imperial or Separatists handled legally? Kallus committed war crimes on Lasats. Is he forgiven for genocide because he joined the Rebellion? Barriss Offee committed acts of terrorism, became an Inquisitor, and then abandoned the Empire to become a healer. Is she forgiven? Crosshair enacted brutal attacks on behalf of the Empire and deserted after seeing Imperial cruelty to his fellow clones. Is Crosshair forgiven for those he killed? Join us for a discussion on law, forgiveness, atonement, and redemption from Star Wars The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Tales of the Empire, Tales of the Underworld, and Star Wars Rebels. Presented by The Legal Geeks. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 30, 2025 · 9 min

    Legal Lessons From Dracula AD 1972

    Analysis of Dracula AD 1972! That's right, it is time to discuss the Hammer classic with Sir Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing! Trespassing! Hate crimes! Fraud! And 1970s over the top funkiness. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 28, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min

    Spooky Legal Review of The Mummy 1999

    Join us for our review of The Mummy (1999), where we get wrapped up in Conspiracy to Assassinate a Pharaoh, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, workplace safety, just what crime justified a death sentence for Rick O'Connell, contract performance, and adequate warnings for curses. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 25, 2025 · 45 min

    'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas Spooky Review

    Join Kate Bridal and Josh Gilliland for their review of The Nightmare Before Christmas, opening the many legal gifts of trespassing, false imprisonment, kidnapping, false impersonation, and negligent inflection of emotion distress. Tune in for a treat of legal analysis of this two holiday classic. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 22, 2025 · 57 min

    Superman Legal Panel at Baltimore Comic Con

    Recorded Live at Baltimore Comic Con! It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Felony? Did Superman Cause Us to Go to War? Our favorite Kryptonian and adopted Earthling returned to the big screen in 2025, but legal issues abound in this movie, including: Is Superman an American citizen or even legally adopted? Can his actions represent the United States Government? Did Lex Luthor violate the Espionage Act? Which kind of license should Krypto have: dog or pilot? Can Supergirl be held legally responsible for drunk partying? Join our team of lawyers and comic book aficionados as they educationally and hilariously analyze these questions and more, with Michael Dennis, David Donovan, Joel Schwarz, and Mark Zaid. Presented by The Legal Geeks (TheLegalGeeks.com) in their first Baltimore Comic-Con appearance! Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 15, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min

    Monster Squad Review and Analysis

    Join Josh Gilliland and Jordon Huppert for a look back at the 1987 Gen X classic Monster Squad. Tune in for their analysis covering burglary of abandoned houses, invasion of privacy, self-defense, anti-bullying laws, shop classes with limited supervision, and whether the Army would answer a call for help written in crayon. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Oct 8, 2025 · 15 min

    Monsters, Mobs, and the Law: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man

    It's Spooky season! Tune in for analysis of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, with grave robbing, police led mobs, conspiracy to commit suicide, attempted murder, and domestic terrorism. Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Jul 30, 2025 · 50 min

    The Legal Geeks at Comic-Con: Daredevil Born Again

    Recorded Live at San Diego Comic Con on July 25, 2025! Join lawyers and judges for their legal review of Daredevil Born Again! Can Bullseye sue Daredevil for injuries he sustained for being thrown off the top of a building? Can Nelson, Murdock and Page practice law when they have a non-lawyer equity owner? Does Matt Murdock understand how the attorney client privilege works? Was Hector Ayala’s acquittal jury nullification? What is the legal significance of Red Hook Port being a free port? Just how is Wilson Fisk NOT in prison? Join our panel featuring Circuit Judge John B. Owens, Magistrate Judge Steve Chu, Judge Carol Najera, Judge Danna Nicholas, Micheal Skeen, and Katrina Wraight. Moderated by Kate Bridal. Presented by The Legal Geeks. Room: 25ABC Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Jul 30, 2025 · 51 min

    Live from SDCC! Jurassic Park: Liability for Dinosaur Attacks Never Goes Extinct

    Recorded live at San Diego Comic Con on July 24, 2025, our Jurassic Park panel! Law finds a way….for amusement parks with dinosaurs to be liable for employee safety, injuring guests, and invasive species. Can dinosaur DNA be patented? Could Jurassic Park be insured? Would parents sue for children left at a youth camp to fend for themselves against dinosaurs? Could injured guests sue as a class action? Join our panel featuring Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman, Magistrate Judge Stan Boone, Kathy Steinman, Christine Peek, Stephen Tollafield, and Micheal Dennis for their analysis of Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and Camp Cretaceous. Moderated by Joshua Gilliland, Esq. Presented by The Legal Geeks. Room: Grand 12 & 13, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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  • Jul 7, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min

    Ghostbusters Law of the Afterlife at Bay Con!

    Recorded live at Bay Con 2025 in Santa Clara, CA! Join Josh Gilliland for his analysis of the Ghostbusters film series. From the panel description: Who you gonna call… when the Ghostbusters get sued? From ghost containment ethics to property damage caused by proton packs, the Ghostbusters franchise is full of supernatural shenanigans that raise real-world legal questions. Could trapping a ghost be considered false imprisonment? What environmental laws apply to a ghost containment unit? And was animating the Statue of Liberty a legal nightmare? Join The Legal Geeks as they break down the law of the afterlife with a panel of judges and attorneys. Using their legal expertise (and maybe a P.K.E. meter or two), they’ll explore the weird, wild, and surprisingly complex legal issues in the Ghostbusters universe. Don't miss this electrifying discussion—just be careful not to cross the streams! Send us Fan Mail Support the show No part of this recording should be considered legal advice. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok @TheLegalGeeks

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