Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch

  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    There Is No Historic Defeat for Civil Rights

    Sarah Isgur, on a whirlwind booktour, takes a break to deliver the legal goods with David French. The two discuss a Washington Post piece on civil rights data during the Trump era, Chiles v. Salazar, and free speech and AI liability in child porn.


    The Agenda:
    Sarah on The View
    David’s beef with WaPo piece on civil rights data
    –AI liability
    Book restrictions in Iowa
    –Iowa law prevents schools from providing instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation
    Religious challenge to vaccine mandates
    Contract cases and undue influence


    Show Notes:
    Federal appeals court upholds West Virginia school vaccine law
    Chiles v. Salazar (conversion therapy)


    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

    16 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Sotomayor vs. Kavanaugh?

    Sarah Isgur and David French revisit Stephen Colbert’s favorite case, take a look at a rare biting word about Justice Brett Kavanaugh from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and dive into a circuit court extravaganza.

    –Sarah is on a book tour!
    Sotomayor vs. Kavanaugh
    –Citizens United is not controversial
    –Is there a judicial pipeline?
    –The seals are ugly
    –Circuit Court Extravaganza: Bathtub gin, pronouns, and sparkling sports gambling

    Show Notes:
    The case establishing corporate personhood
    Home distilling ban struck down after 158 years
    Seals of the Circuit Courts (and then some!)
    Short Circuit’s newsletter this week

    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

    14 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    Trump’s ‘War Crimes’

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss President Donald Trump’s rhetoric over Iran, what constitutes a war crime, and what happens if a military officer fails to obey an order or regulation.

    The Agenda:
    John Mulaney gives SCOTUSblog a shoutout
    –Threatening war crimes
    –Will President Donald Trump ever see the Hague
    Judge Scalia rolling over in his grave
    Article 92 and disobeying orders
    –David answers questions

    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

    9 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    You’re Fired, Pam Bondi

    Pam Bondi is no longer attorney general, Steve Bannon’s case is sent back to lower courts, and the Chiles decision on conversion therapy becomes nonpartisan.
    The Agenda:
    —Pam Bondi’s disastrous tenure
    —Three Year Letterman shoutout
    SCOTUS kicks Steve Bannon’s case
    Chiles v. Salazar
    Law of War on President Donald Trump’s Easter tweet
    —No more exclamation points in judicial opinions!!!

    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 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    Birthright Citizenship Oral Arguments

    Sarah Isgur is joined by David French, Amanda Tyler, Akhil Amar, and SCOTUSblog’s Amy Howe to react to the oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara, Donald Trump’s challenge to birthright citizenship.
    Watch the livestream here.

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

    1 April 2026, 6:49 pm
  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    In Mourning for the DOJ | Interview: Chris Christie

    Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joins Sarah Isgur and David French to discuss his explicit argument with the former FBI Director Robert Mueller, remember a Christmas carol session with former Attorney General John Ashcroft, and weigh in on whether or not you should go to law school.

    The Agenda:
    Birthright Citizenship: Preview
    –Welcome back, Gov. Christie!
    –Contempt of Court, Rule 11 Sanctions, and Disbarment
    –Going Full Monty on the Robert Mueller story
    –The state of the Justice Department
    –You should go to law school

    Show Notes:
    John Ashcroft’s performance

    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

    31 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 56 minutes 51 seconds
    Mail-In Ballot Deadlines Challenged in Court

    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss two Supreme Court oral arguments: one on Mississippi accepting ballots five days after Election Day, one on turning away asylum seekers before they reach the border.

    The Agenda:
    Watson v. Republican National Committee (election law)
    –The incentives won’t change when people vote
    Sarah’s least favorite oral argument
    Zorn v. Linton

    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

    26 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    You Can’t Preach Jesus Here | Interview: Judge Rebecca Taibleson

    Judge Rebecca Taibleson of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals joins Sarah Isgur and David French for a conversation about her path to the federal bench. But first, the Supreme Court's unanimous Olivier v. City of Brandon decision on free speech zones, the viral Afroman jury verdict, and the Pentagon Press policy ruling.
    The Agenda:
    Olivier v. City of Brandon, Mississippi
    Afroman and the Streisand Effect
    U.S. judge rules against Pentagon press restrictions
    –Cauliflower and Mark Twain
    –Interview with Judge Rebecca Taibleson
    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

    24 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 16 minutes
    Will Temporary Protected Status for Immigrants End?

    Live at the University of Pennsylvania's Carey Law School, Sarah and David are joined by Third Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas to break down the Supreme Court's temporary protected status cases. They also debate whether a federal "defender general" would level the playing field and play a round of Marvel "What if?" with landmark Supreme Court moments.

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    The Agenda:
    –We await Gov. Chris Christie's return
    TPS Cases: Cert Before Judgment for Haiti and Syria Nationals
    Defender General: A New Office for Federal Public Defenders
    –Black Robe Syndrome
    –What If? Supreme Court alternative universes

    Show Notes:
    –"The Defender General" by Daniel Epps and William Ortman


    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

    19 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    Judge Gets Vulgar in Transgender Spa Case

    Sarah Isgur and David French dive into two Ninth Circuit opinions: one involving an anti-discrimination law in Washington, another related to a first-grade girl being punished for giving her classmate a drawing inspired by what her teacher read in class.

    The Agenda:
    –Is the Fifth Circuit still the most conservative court?
    Judge VanDyke’s swinging opinion
    –What is this case even about?
    Adrian Vermeule weighs in
    –Don’t sic a kid’s drawing
    First-graders have free speech rights

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Show Notes:
    The Postmodern Jurisprudence of Lawrence VanDyke

    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

    17 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 54 minutes 43 seconds
    Supreme Court Justices Spar Publicly

    David French and Sarah Isgur break down new polling showing historic lows in trust for the Supreme Court, debate whether a public disagreement between Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson helps or hurts the institution, and dive into oral arguments on property seizures and witness testimony rights.

    Show Notes
    –Hometown Program last call
    Supreme Court polling and public trust
    Justices Jackson and Kavanaugh clash
    –Trump vs. Supreme Court
    Takings Case: property seizure over $2,000 debt
    –Appellate moments: Lisa Blatt and more

    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

    12 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App