Wait...Is That Legal?

By Céleste Young

A Podcast about TV Shows and Movies and the legal issues they raise. Each episode looks at a legal topic presented in a Movie or TV Show and analyzes it based on the real laws where the episo

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FAQs about Wait...Is That Legal?:

How many episodes does Wait...Is That Legal? have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

Wait...Is That Legal? episodes:

March 24, 2025 U.S. v. Muse
Re: Piracy/Captain Phillips (2013)
What is Piracy? Who has jurisdiction over the high seas?
Sources:
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Art. 100-110 (1982).
S.S. Lotus (Fr. v. Turk.), 1927 P.C.I.J. (ser. A) No. 10 (Sept. 7).
United Nations Security Council. Resolution 1816, S /RES/1816 (2008). Adopted June 2, 2008.

U.S. Constitution, Art. III Sec. 2 and Amend. 6.
Fed. R. Crim. P. 18 (2024 ed.).
Piracy and Privateering, 18 U.S.C. §§1651, 1653 (1948).
Jurisdiction and Venue, 18 U.S.C. §3238 (1948).

Muse v. Daniels, 815 F.3d 265 (7th Cir. 2016).

Thomas J. Shaw. The Legal History of Pirates & Privateers. Thomas J. Shaw (2024).

Edmund Sanders and Julian E. Barnes. “U.S. ship captain held by Somali pirates.” LA Times. April 9, 2009. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-apr-09-fg-somali-pirates9-story.html
“Somalian pirate suspect arrives in New York to be tried in U.S. court.” CBC News. April 20, 2009. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/somalian-pirate-suspect-arrives-in-new-york-to-be-tried-in-u-s-court-1.777441
Tim Besley, Thiemo Fetzer, and Hannes Mueller. “The Economic Costs of Piracy.” International Growth Centre. March 1, 2012. https://www.theigc.org/collections/economic-costs-piracy
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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31min
March 07, 2025 In re A.F.
Re: Medical Emancipation/My Sister’s Keeper (2009), Chicago Med (2015-)

When can a child exercise control over their own body and medical decisions? Does a child have to fully emancipate themselves from their parents in order to make those medical decisions?

Sources:
Bellotti v. Baird, 443 U.S. 622 (1979).
In re E.G., 549 N.E.2d 322 (Ill. 1989).
Smith v. Seibly, 431 P.2d 719 (Wash. 1967).

Michelle Davis and Andrea Fang. “Emancipated Minor,” StatPearls. National Library of Medicine (May 1, 2023). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554594/
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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28min
February 20, 2025 Los Angeles v. Common Sense
Re: Chinatown (1974)/Water Rights
Why does Los Angeles exist? Where does L.A. get its water? How do water rights work?
Sources:
County of Inyo v. City of Los Angeles, 124 Cal.App.3d 1 (Cal.App. 1981).
County of Inyo v. Yorty, 32 Cal.App. 795 (Cal.App. 1973).
County of Mono v. City of Los Angeles, 81 Cal.App.5th 65 (Cal.App. 2022).
Irwin v. Phillips, 5 Cal. 140 (Cal. 1855).
People v. City of Los Angeles, 34 Cal.2d 695 (Cal. 1950).

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). 2022-2023 Briefing Book. www.ladwp.com/sites/default/files/2023-10/2022-23_Briefing_Book_Online.pdf

Marc Reisner. Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water. New York, NY: Penguin Books (2017); orig. ed. Viking (1986).

Sarah Dean. “Taps running dry have become part of daily life in South Africa’s biggest city.” CNN, March 24, 2024.
Denise Chow and Albinson Linares. “Mexico City's 21 million residents are facing a severe water shortage.” NBC News, March 1, 2024.
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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43min
March 07, 2024 U.S. v. Teller, et al.
Re: RICO Act/Sons of Anarchy (2008)
What is RICO? What does it stand for? How is it used?
Sources:
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968 (2023 Edition).
18 U.S.C. §§ 932 (Straw Purchasing of Firearms), 933 (Trafficking in Firearms), 2339B. (Providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations) (2023 Edition).

“Homicide,” California Penal Code §§ 187-199.
“Uniform Controlled Substances Act,” California Health and Safety Code §§ 11000 - 11651.

Boyle v. United States, 556 U.S. 938 (2009).
H.J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Tel. Co., 492 U.S. 229 (1989).
Nat’l Org. for Women, Inc. v. Scheidler, 510 U.S. 249 (1994).
Reves v. Ernst & Young, 507 U.S. 170 (1993).
United States v. Martinez, 657 F.3d 811 (9th Cir. 2011).

CRIMINAL RICO: 18 U.S.C. §§1961-1968. A Manual For Federal Prosecutors, Organized Crime and Gang Section, U.S. Department of Justice (May 2016 6th Rev. Ed.).

“Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations” Bureau of Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/

“Mafia Commission Trial” Wikipedia, accessed 2/2024.
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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48min
February 07, 2024 Lovejoy v. Lin
Re: The Lake (2022)/Trusts and Estates
What is a trust? Why would someone use a trust to transfer property? Can you inherit less than a complete interest in real property? If you do have a less than absolute interest does that put limits on what you can do with the property?

Sources:
Conveyancing and Law of Property Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.34, s. 5 (1), 10, 29-30.
Succession Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.26, s. 2-3, 29-30.

Gertzbein v. Winer, et. al., [1970] 3 O.R. 676, 1970 CANLII 330 (ON SC).

Melms v. Pabst Brewing Co., 79 N.W. 738 (Wis. S.Ct. 1899).
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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57min
November 22, 2023 Dietrichson v. Pacific All Risk Ins. Co.
Re: Life Insurance, Accident Policies/ Double Indemnity (1944)
What is a double indemnity clause? When can an insurance company deny a life insurance claim?
Sources:
Diamond v. New York Life Ins. Co., 286 N.Y.S. 625 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1936).
Funk v. New York Life Ins. Co., 60 N.Y.S.2d 349 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1946).
National Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Edwards, 119 Cal.App.3d 326 (Cal. App. 1981).
People v. Snyder, 159 N.E. 408 (N.Y. 1927).
Prudential Ins. Co. of Am. v. Snyder, 254 N.Y.S. 732 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1928).

American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). "ACLI 2022 Life Insurers Fact Book."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mortality in the United States, 2021. NCHS Data Brief No. 456, December 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db456.htm
Crowley & Shih, “What to do if Your Life Insurance Claim is Denied?” Policygenius (April 10, 2023). https://www.policygenius.com/life-insurance/what-to-do-if-a-life-insurance-claim-is-denied/
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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25min
November 22, 2023 State v. Parsons and State v. Parsons
Re: Double Jeopardy/Double Jeopardy (1999)

Can someone be charged for the same crime twice? Can they be charged with the same crime in multiple places? Is murder not always a crime?

Sources:
U.S. Constitution, Amend. 5, 10, 14.
Benton v. Maryland, 395 U.S. 784 (1969).
Blockburger v. U.S., 284 U.S. 299 (1932).
Brown v. Ohio, 432 U.S. 161 (1977).
Gamble v. U.S., 139 S. Ct. 1960 (2019).
Heath v. Alabama, 474 U.S. 82 (1985).
In re Nielsen, 131 U.S. 176 (1889).
McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819).
Serfass v. U.S., 420 U.S. 377 (1975).
U.S. v. Dixon, 509 U.S. 688 (1993).
U.S. v. Felix, 503 U.S. 378 (1992).
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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39min
November 04, 2023 State of Connecticut v. the Devil
Re: Insanity Defense/The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it (2021), The Devil on Trial (2023)
What is an insanity plea and is it a get out of jail free card? Can someone be acquitted of a crime due to demonic possession?
Sources:
Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984, 18 U.S.C. § 17(a) (1984).
Federal Rules of Evidence, 704(b).
General Statutes of Connecticut, § 53a-54a, 53a-13 (2023 Edition).

Durham v. U.S., 214 F.2d 862 (D.C. Cir. 1954).
U.S. v. Freeman, 357 F.2d 606 (2nd Cir. 1966).
U.S. v. Freeman, 804 F.2d 1574 (11th Cir. 1986).
State v. Conte, 157 Conn. 209 (Conn. 1968).
State v. Rossier, 175 Conn. 204 (Conn. 1978).

Elizabeth Nevins-Saunders, Not Guilty as Charged: The Myth of Mens Rea for Defendants with Mental Retardation, 45 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 1419 (2012).
Phillip J. Resnick, The Andrea Yates Case: Insanity on Trial. 55 Clev. St. L. Rev. 147 (2007).
Marco Margaritoff, “Andrea Yates, The Texas Woman Who Drowned Her Kids to Save Them From the Devil.” All That’s Interesting (May 21, 2023). https://allthatsinteresting.com/andrea-yates
“A Crime of Insanity: Insanity on Trial” Frontline. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/crime/trial/faqs.html .
“The Insanity Defense Among the States” FindLaw.com, reviewed Jan. 23, 2019.
“Insanity Defense” Wikipedia, accessed Oct. 23, 2023.
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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34min
June 08, 2023 In the Matter of M.G., a minor child
Re: Emancipation of Minors/Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001), Roswell (1999), Gossip Girl (2007), New Amsterdam (2018)

What is legal emancipation? Can anyone under the age of 18 be legally emancipated? Is it as easy to be emancipated as they show on TV?

TV Episodes:
Degrassi: The Next Generation, S.3 Ep.21: “Our House” (aired 2004); S.7, Ep.24: “We Built This City” (aired 2008).
New Amsterdam, S.4, Ep.14: “…Unto the Breach” (aired 2022).
Gossip Girl, S.2, Ep.11: “The Magnificent Archibalds” (aired 2008).
Roswell, S.1 Ep.15: “Independence Day” (aired 2000).

Sources:
Children’s Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.12, s. 65 (2021).
Ontario Works Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c. 25, Sched. A (2021).
A.C. v. V.A., 2012 ONCJ 7 (CanLII).
O.G. v. R.G., 2017 ONCJ 153 (CanLII).
NewYouth, “I’m Under 18, How Can I Apply For Ontario Works (Welfare)?” https://newyouth.ca/en/resources/daily-life/personal-finance/im-under-18-how-can-i-apply-ontario-works-welfare (2019).

Emancipation of Minors Act, NM Stat. 32A-21-1 to 32A-21-7 (New Mexico Statutes (2023 Ed.)).
“Petition for Emancipation Instructions” Children’s Court Self Help Forms, https://seconddistrictcourt.nmcourts.gov/home/courts/childrens-court/childrens-court-self-help-forms/ (PDF, rev. 8/5/15).

Department of Social Services Regulations (18 NYCRR) § 349.5.
“Emancipation in New York,” Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. https://www.lawny.org/node/9/emancipation-new-york (2023).
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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35min
May 22, 2023 Mertle v. Smalls
Re: The Sandlot (1993), Bridge to Terabithia (2007)/Premises Liability, Attractive Nuisance

Sources:
CA Civil Code §§ 846, 1714, 3342-3342.5.
Adams v. Bullock, 125 N.E. 93 (N.Y. 1919).
Dennis v. Odend'Hal-Monks Corp., 182 Va. 77 (1943).
Haywood v. South Hill Co., 142 Va. 761 (1925).
Martinez v. Bank of Am. Nat’l Trust & Sav. Ass’n, 82 Cal. App. 4th 883 (Cal. App. 2000).
McDaniel v. Sunset Manor Co., 220 Cal.App.3d 1 (Cal. App. 1990).
Ornelas v. Randolph, 4 Cal. 4th 1095 (1993).
Palsgraf v. Long Island R. Co., 248 N.Y. 339 (N.Y. 1928).
Radoff v. Hunter, 158 Cal.App.2d 770 (Cal. App. 1958), concur.
Rowland v. Christian, 69 Cal. 2d 108 (1968).
Valladares v. Stone, 218 Cal. App. 3d 362 (Cal. App. 1990).
Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.
Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals

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44min

FAQs about Wait...Is That Legal?:

How many episodes does Wait...Is That Legal? have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.