Heightened Scrutiny

By Joe Dunman

News & Politics Society & Culture History Government & Organizations National

What's Heightened Scrutiny about?

An episodic podcast taking a closer look at landmark civil rights decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. Host Joe Dunman walks listeners through the arguments and decisions of each case.

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Heightened Scrutiny episodes:

07.12.2017
Episode 10: Marsh v. Chambers
Maverick Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers sued the state legislature to stop the practice of paying a chaplain to deliver prayers during each session. In 1983, the Supreme Court took up his case, and ruled that such a practice, long...
06.12.2017
Extra Scrutiny: Before the Court
There are over 1 million attorneys in America. Almost none of them will ever get to argue a case before the US Supreme Court. But for those who do, it is a high honor. Some of the Court's own members...
05.31.2017
Episode 9: R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul
In 1990, a St. Paul, MN teenager was arrested for burning a cross in the yard of a black family and charged with violating a city ordinance banning hate speech. Two years later, the US Supreme Court ruled that the...
05.19.2017
Episode 8: Palmer v. Thompson
In the early 1960s, Jackson, Mississippi was ordered by a federal court to desegregate its swimming pools. It closed them all down instead. The Supreme Court ruled that closing all the public pools, even if for a racist reason, was...
05.12.2017
Extra Scrutiny: The "Breyer Pages"
Justice Stephen Breyer likes to ask very long questions. Law professor Josh Blackman tracks those questions in an archive called the Breyer Pages. Listen as Extra Scrutiny briefly explores Justice Breyer's record-setting verbosity.
05.05.2017
Episode 7: Employment Division v. Smith
In 1990, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did not provide an exemption from drug laws for religious practices. In its wake, Congress passed RFRA, which has changed the landscape of religious freedom in America.
04.26.2017
Episode 6: Lawrence v. Texas
The Supreme Court finally struck down its previous case, Bowers v. Hardwick, which had upheld state anti-gay sodomy bans. The gay rights movement celebrated their most comprehensive victory so far.
04.21.2017
Extra Scrutiny: The "Silence" of Clarence Thomas
Justice Clarence Thomas has always been a controversial member of the Supreme Court. One of the reasons why is his persistent silence during oral argument. This episode explores his somewhat unique preference not to speak from the bench.
04.14.2017
Episode 5: Bowers v. Hardwick
In 1986, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment does not protect an individual right to personal autonomy or privacy in intimate, sexual relationships.
04.04.2017
Episode 4: Kelo v. City of New London
In 2005, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Fifth Amendment allows a city can condemn and bulldoze a private home to boost tax revenue.
03.23.2017
Episode 3: Loving v. Virginia
This episode of Heightened Scrutiny tackles the famous 1967 interracial marriage case, Loving v. Virginia, with clips from past news coverage and 1990s talk shows as well as extended excerpts from the Court's highly charged oral arguments on the fundamental...
03.13.2017
Episode 2: Texas v. Johnson
This episode of Heightened Scrutiny tackles the famous 1989 flag burning case, Texas v. Johnson, with clips from news reports of past and recent flag burnings as well as extended excerpts from the Court's highly charged oral arguments on this...
03.04.2017
Episode 1: Roe v. Wade
In this episode, Heightened Scrutiny considers the people and arguments behind the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade, and considers how the Supreme Court interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment to reach its controversial decision.

What's Heightened Scrutiny about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Heightened Scrutiny episodes:

Episode 10: Marsh v. Chambers

Extra Scrutiny: Before the Court

Episode 9: R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul

Episode 8: Palmer v. Thompson

Extra Scrutiny: The "Breyer Pages"

Episode 7: Employment Division v. Smith

Episode 6: Lawrence v. Texas

Extra Scrutiny: The "Silence" of Clarence Thomas

Episode 5: Bowers v. Hardwick

Episode 4: Kelo v. City of New London

Episode 3: Loving v. Virginia

Episode 2: Texas v. Johnson

Episode 1: Roe v. Wade