Sarah Isgur and David French discuss another set of Trump administration indictments rejected by a grand jury, the memo from Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissing the complaint against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, and finally, Grifter Sarah comes out to play in the Texas Senate race.
The Agenda:
–The DOJ’s dropping success rate with cases
–David goes meta
–Are AUSA positions worth it?
–DOJ misconduct complaint against federal judge dismissed
–Congrats to the AO newlyweds!
–Listener questions
–The polls are all over the place for the Texas Senate primaries

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.

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Hot takes from James Comey, the 5th Circuit weighs in on habeas corpus petitions, and does being a lawyer suck? Sarah Isgur and David French weigh in.

Note: SCOTUSblog is hiring. Find more details and apply at this link, or send a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

The Agenda:
–Introducing the Interim Relief Docket Stat Pack
–Where are all the U.S. attorneys?
–Supreme Court allows California to use congressional map benefitting Democrats
–Trump administration games immigration issue via Fifth Circuit
–James Comey and Jack Goldsmith defend the courts

Show Notes
–February 1, 2026—On the Rule of Law - James Comey
–Fifth Circuit Sides With Trump on Immigrant Detention Law

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French investigate the case of Don Lemon and the church disruptors. Plus: Trump sues Trump and two circuit court split decisions.

The Agenda:
–Chess, the musical
—What are these clerks going on about?
—Trump v. IRS
—The issue of selective admissions policies
—Compelled speech and pronouns in school
–Taking bets on the tariffs decision

Note: SCOTUSblog is hiring. Find more details and apply at this link, or send a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Show Notes:
–I wrote a book in support of nationalizing elections. Trump changed my mind.

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French are hosted by the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and Social Sciences at Dartmouth to discuss the United States at 250 and where the Supreme Court stands today.
Pre-order Sarah’s book: Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court
The Agenda:
—The Swing Justice era of the court is the exception
—Thank you Justice Kagan for free tampons
—Legal societies: students vs. professors
—Fringe theories and Unitary Executive Power
—Trigger words for David French: "coequal branches of government"
—Laws of war and Greenland
—Process girl in an outcome world
—Audience questions

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Sarah Isgur and David French explore the intricate legal landscape surrounding the TikTok deal and its compliance with the ban or sale law. Then, they delve into the Federal Tort Claims Act, and review a few circuit court cases.

The Agenda:
–TikTok sale is complete
–First Amendment and content moderation
–Federal Tort Claims Act overview
–Meth and the Second Amendment
–Where can I bring my gun in Maryland?
–Advice for aspiring lawyers

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the differences between the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and invite Orin Kerr, professor of law at Stanford Law School, to talk about judicial and administrative warrants.

The Agenda:
–Comparing the two ICE shootings
–Supremacy Clause and federal cases
–Fourth Amendment rights
–Racial gerrymandering in Texas
–Answering our favorite listener’s question

Show Notes:
–Supremacy Clause Immunity, Explained

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French break down Paul Clement’s “thousand duck-sized horses” argument before the Supreme Court in the Trump administration’s case over the firing of Lisa Cook, and what it means for for-cause removal at the Federal Reserve.
The Agenda:
–Paul Clement the GOAT
–Prediction: Lisa Cook will stay
–The conservatism of the Supreme Court and MAGA’s legal movement
–Going “full Taft”
–Tropic Thunder detour, for some reason
–Gun and property rights in Hawaii
–When to Martinize someone
-Don Lemon’s Theology of the Protest
–It’s not “Letter from a Birmingham Starbucks”
–The best fan mail we’ve ever received

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French explain the latest developments in Lisa Cook's case challenging her firing from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors and a challenge to Hawaii's "vampire rules" regarding concealed carry.

The Agenda:
—Lisa Cook Federal Reserve case
—Hawaii's "vampire rules"
—Geofence warrants and Fourth Amendment
—True Threats Doctrine
—Commerce Clause and federal power
—Satanic Temple and abortion rights

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French discuss lengthy, consolidated Supreme Court arguments from Idaho and West Virginia over state laws banning transgender athletes.

The Agenda:
–Supreme Court appears likely to uphold transgender athlete bans
–Court finds police properly entered man's home despite absense of warrant
–SCOTUS allows challenge to mail-in ballots
–Lindsay Halligan’s ‘gross abuse of power’?
–Should judges pack heat?
–Sarah Isgur’s fire tweet

Show Notes:
–Trump Is 'Chest-Beating' Over a Retreat

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.

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Harvard law professor Richard Re discusses the evolution of the Supreme Court from the Warren court to the present day, highlighting the historical context of the court's decisions, the role of swing justices, and the current dynamics of originalism and textualism in judicial interpretation.The Agenda:
—What is the conservative Warren court?
—Reversal in power dynamics
—The swing justice era
—The Roberts court has the lowest rate of overturning precedents
—Common good constitutionalism reflects a generational pivot in legal thought
—Textualism is now seen as the generally accepted mode of interpretation
—Deference’s varied meaningsShow Notes:
—Richard Re: To a Conservative Warren Court
—Oral argument live blog for Tuesday, January 13
—Justices Alito and Thomas dissent in the Parents Protecting Our Children case
—Did Justice Kagan debilitate the administrative state?
—Not Enough Respect for the Judiciary—Or Too Much?
—Supreme Court Increasingly Favors the Rich, Economists Say
—Does the Supreme Court Favor the Rich?
—Has the Supreme Court Helped Save Democracy?

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.

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Sarah Isgur and David French return for a bonus episode on the Minneapolis ICE shooting and explain the concept of Supremacy Clause immunity.

The Agenda:
—Corrections from Thursday's episode
—How to analyze police shootings
—Federalism and the Supremacy Clause
—Federal officer removal
—Broader impacts of police violence
—Bowe v. United States
—Church autonomy and employment law 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.

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