Katie Barlow, lawyer and media editor of SCOTUSBlog, sits in for David on today’s episode. Sarah and Katie kick off things by discussing the decision handed down in Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, in which an 8-1 majority ruled that even seeking “nominal damages” can be enough to give a plaintiff standing. Plus, Katie explains how her time working for Nina Tottenberg at NPR helped her prepare for translating SCOTUS decisions into one-minute TikTok videos. And, of course, she weighs in on the “should you go to law school” debate. Make sure you stick around to the end to hear Sarah and Katie sing the praises of Oprah and react to the Prince Harry and Megan Markle interview on CBS.

 

Show Notes:

-Nominal damages decision

-SCOTUSBlog article about the decision

-Nina Totenberg’s Twitter

-Katie Barlow’s Twitter (which has all of her TikToks)

-CBS’ Harry and Megan interview

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Nominal Damages

Advisory Opinions is a new podcast from The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur have a weekly conversation about the law, culture, and why it matters.

News

Politics

The Supreme Court this week heard oral arguments for Donald Trump’s immunity case, and David has thoughts. However, he was too sick to join today so Sarah had to go solo (Ruminant style!), recapping the legal and political implications of the case, assessing the strength of the arguments and their significance for the future of our political system, and trying to imagine where we go from here in this bizarre election cycle.
The Agenda:
—Good and bad news for Trump
—What presidential acts are immune?
—Impeachment and conviction
—Going through the specific charges
—Can Trump stage a coup?
—ANSWER THE HYPOTHETICALS!
—Defining official acts
—The effect on Trump’s other cases
—The effect on SCOTUS as an institution
Show Notes:
—Bonus Collision newsletter
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Indictment Watch: Supreme Court Hears Trump’s Immunity Case

Sarah and David discuss oral arguments in Grants Pass v. Johnson, a Supreme Court case addressing the issue of homeless people camping on public property, as well as and the 4th Circuit ruling that blocked West Virginia's law blocking transgender athletes from participating in sports.
The Agenda:
—SCOTUS hears Grants Pass v. Johnson
—Necessity defense and cannibalism
—4th Circuit ruling on trans sports ban in West Virginia
—SCOTUS rules on Title VII case
—Biden expands Title IX ruling
—Campus due process and Columbia protesters
Show Notes:
—Casey Mattox on local governments stopping churches from helping the homeless
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Lady Law and Homeless Encampments

There’s not much worth discussing yet in Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York, so Sarah and David focus on the Supreme Court and a case on Idaho’s law restricting gender-transition treatment for minors. Plus: Murmurs about Clarence Thomas’ brief absence.
The Agenda:
—Election law crimes, tax crimes, and falsification of business records
—Challenges of broad injunctions
—Idaho’s Vulnerable Child Protection Act
—SCOTUS exhausted with emergency docket applications
—Justices call to retire universal injunctions
—January 6 arguments before SCOTUS
—SCOTUS declines to intervene in a police lawsuit against a Black Lives Matter activist
—Obstructions in official proceedings
—Legal issues in the Iran-Israel conflict
Show Notes:
—Labrador v. Poe
—Counterman v. Colorado
—18 U.S. Code § 1512 - Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant
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Retire Universal Injunctions

Co-authors Jack Goldsmith and Bob Bauer join the podcast to discuss their book, After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency, and the need to reform presidential power. But first, a protest and a dinner party at a Berkeley Law School dean's house. Did the location qualify as a public forum? Sarah and David evaluate.
The Agenda:
—Dean of Berkeley Law School and a Palestinian Protest: 1A protection?
—How to go about civil disobedience
—Reforming the Insurrection Act
—The need for bipartisan support in reforming presidential powers
—Did Donald Trump abuse the pardon power as president?
—Special counsels and the fear of rigging prosecutions
Show Notes:
—The Logan Act
—The American Law Institute
—David's Sunday column
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The Enormous Powers of the President

Sarah and David explain the jury questionnaire in Alvin Bragg’s case against Donald Trump before getting into the weeds of the origins of originalism.
The Agenda:
—How to select a jury for Trump
—Celebrity trial jury instructions
—Biden swings again at student loan forgiveness
—Did the Warren court birth originalism?
—Originalism vs. platonic idealism
—More questions from a high schooler
—How do judicial ethics actually work?
—The myth of the 6-3 court
—The most important SCOTUS decisions
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Nominal Damages

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