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Advisory Opinions

Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch

  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    District Map Fights Before the 2026 Midterms

    David Lat joins Sarah Isgur (see ya later, French) to discuss the three-judge panel overturning Alabama’s congressional maps, a new lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s slush fund, and a lying Judge.

    The Agenda:

    –No redistricting according to race

    –Nonsense lawsuits

    –Dragging courts into political fights

    –Moving honey buns is interstate commerce

    –Sanction more judges?

    –Feeling Wicker-ty

    –The Arbitration Act is sexy!

    –Making clerks very uncomfortable

    Show Notes:

    –Pitchford v. Cain 

    –Flowers Foods v. Brock

    –Rutherford v. United States

    –Fernandez v. United States–Wickard v. Filburn

    Advisory Opinions is a production of⁠ SCOTUSblog⁠ and⁠ The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective.⁠ Click here⁠ to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and⁠ click here⁠ to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including⁠ audio versions⁠ of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by⁠ clicking here⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 May 2026, 12:50 am
  • 1 hour 10 minutes
    SCOTUS Through the Decades | Interview: Nina Totenberg

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss an anticlimactic dig from the Supreme Court over IQ tests and the death penalty and challenges to the $1.8 billion slush fund President Donald Trump created on weaponization, and they talk with NPR's Nina Totenberg about covering the Supreme Court.

    The Agenda:

    —Hamm v. Smith

    —How many IQ tests does a person on death row need to take?

    —Who can challenge the slush fund?

    —James Comey as the platonic ideal plaintiff

    —The embarrassing DNC autopsy, and Grifter Sarah makes an appearance

    —Interview with Nina Totenberg 

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    All the Things Wrong with Trump’s Billion-Dollar Fund

    Sarah Isgur and David French analyze President Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund through the lens of three legal “buckets,” and talk about how federal appropriations work and the Obama-era case that hangs over this legal issue. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s latest cert grant on a Title IX case, plus the circuit split brewing over the First Amendment and judicial elections. 

    The Agenda:

    –Court agrees to hear case on the ability of employees to bring certain suits for sex discrimination

    –Going through the settlement agreement, it’s practically a blank check!

    –Todd Blanche essentially pardons Trump’s family

    –‘That’s not how appropriations work.’

    –Georgia Supreme Court race finishes strong 

    Show Notes:

    –Chief Judge William Pryor’s opinion

    –Anti-Weaponization Fund

    –Keepseagle v. Vilsack

    Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Let’s Sue the Government

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the IRS lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump, SCOTUS’s mifepristone decision, and a unanimous verdict from the justices that no one except Sarah cares about. 

    The Agenda:

    –The 1,776 slush fund

    –David’s ‘back in the day’ lawsuit against the Obama administration

    –The Bivens brick wall

    –Trump loses on the law but wins in the politics

    –Ballroom and baby steps

    –Is Trump the Chosen One?

    –Brief explainer on the Comstock Act

    –Court rules freight brokers can face negligent hiring suits under state law

    Show Notes:

    –Federal Defender Newsletter

    –Jordan v. Darrisaw

    Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    19 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 57 minutes 54 seconds
    SCOTUS Clears Way for Alabama to Use Congressional Map

     Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the emergency docket ruling from SCOTUS on Alabama’s congressional maps, which broke down over three-justice ideological lines, Virginia’s filing (yes, they did file) at the Supreme Court, and a very special 2-1 9th Circuit panel opinion. 

    The Agenda:

    –Remember Allen v. Milligan?

    –Central, urban bonkerstown

    –14th Amendment Equal Protection argument vs. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act

    –Virginia files gerrymandering case at SCOTUS

    –Biogradable cooler dispute, are you Team Gorsuch or Team Kavanaugh?

    –Why 5-4?

    –Would You Rather: Due Process Clause or Equal Protection Clause?

    Show Notes:

    –Remarks by Sen. A. Shane Massey on the Sine Die Resolution and Congressional Redistricting

    Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    14 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    The TED Talk Heard ‘Round the World

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the Virginia State Supreme Court striking down the state’s new congressional maps, Neal Katyal’s TED talk that we don’t want to talk about, and David plays a fun constitutional “Would You Rather” game.

    The Agenda:
    –Virginia’s gerrymandering map is unlawful
    –The left can’t get mad at the right when the right tried the independent state legislator argument
    –What really won the trillion-dollar Supreme Court case
    –Who is Harvey?
    –Shout out to the coolest AP Government teacher ever?

    Show Notes:
    –Supremely Cringe: Neal Katyal And ‘TED-Gate’

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of SCOTUSblog and The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a nonpartisan perspective. Click here to sign up for our new Advisory Opinions newsletter, and click here to access all of The Dispatch’s offerings, including audio versions of all our articles and newsletters. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 58 minutes 9 seconds
    Congress Did Something!

    Welcome to Callais-a-palooza, where Sarah Isgur and David French discuss Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court decision that struck down Lousiana's congressional map and allows Louisiana to draw a new map that will likely favor Republicans. The two read Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson's dissent, discussed whether the decision violates the Purcell principle, and answer listeners' questions about the decision.

    The Agenda:
    —Sarah's dad is unconstitutional
    —The 32-day question
    —The three Honey Badgers
    —Partisan gerrymandering on steroids
    —“Kavanaugh stops” and Callais
    —Listener questions!

    Show Notes:
    —David French on Race, Rights, Trump, and Faith
    —The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    7 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    Justice Alito Stays Ruling on Abortion Pill by Mail

    Justice Samuel Alito allows medical companies to continue administering the abortion pill Mifepristone after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered for it to be dispensed only in person. Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the role of standing in judicial review and abortion access after Donald Trump’s presidency.
    The Agenda:
    –Court issues temporary order allowing access to abortion pill by mail
    –The 5th Circuit is the outlier court
    –Overturning Roe V. Wade didn’t end abortion
    –Can Trump end Temporary Protected Status Program for Haitians and Syrians?
    –What if this was all racially motivated?
    –Justices appear mixed on whether geofence warrant violated the Fourth Amendment
    –Listener questions!
    Show Notes:
    –Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency
    –Trump v. Hawaii
    Order Sarah’s book here.
    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    5 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    Gutting the Voting Rights Act | Interview: Judge Roy K. Altman

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the decision in a racially challenged redistricting map case, weird indictments, and whether Israel is guilty of genocide.

    The Agenda:
    –No one consulted the chief justice on flyovers
    –Reverse and Remand on First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport
    –Living in a post-Dobbs world
    –Supreme Court strikes down redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory
    –James Comey has been indicted, again
    –Indictments on Southern Poverty Law Center’s paid informants
    –Israel on trial
    –Why jury trials are amazing

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Arguing In Front of SCOTUS | Interview: Lisa Blatt

    The inimitable Lisa Blatt joins Sarah Isgur and David French to discuss the two business docket cases named Cox and Chevron, a message to the judges and justices who like concurrences, and advice for aspiring lawyers.

    The Agenda:
    –We are launching a newsletter!
    –The 5th Circuit’s Ten Commandment Ruling
    –Ditch the coercion test
    –How to become Lisa Blatt
    –Does the internet always win?
    –Peak sexiness, federal removal
    –Kudos to the government on its birthright citizenship oral argument
    –Shut down forum shopping
    –Hypothetical:  A daughter from a conservative Muslim family leaves the house every morning wearing a hijab …

    Show Notes:
    –Stone v. Graham
    –Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment
    –Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (24-813)

    Order Sarah’s bookhere.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 28 minutes
    Overturning Religious Precedent

    Will the Supreme Court overturn religious precedent in the case of a Catholic preschool challenging its exclusion from a Colorado “universal preschool” program? Should the Supreme Court care about its own popularirty? And, is Ted Cruz a great option as for Supreme Court justice? Sarah Isgur and David French answer these questions and more, live at the University of Denver.
    Also: We are launching a SCOTUSblog newsletter on April 28!
    The Agenda:
    –‘Universal’ pre-K causes court to re-re-reconsider major religious precedent
    –This already happened
    –Public Opinion, Credible Threats, and the Fezzik Principle
    –Watch The Princess Bride
    –Justice Ted Cruz?
    –The Shadow Docket reporting by the New York Times
    –Questions from the audience

    Order Sarah’s book here.
    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 April 2026, 7:00 am
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