Sidebar by Courthouse News

Los Angeles is in crisis, facing a staggering $1 billion budget deficit thanks to dwindling tax revenues, rising workforce costs and legal settlements. Judgments against the city have skyrocketed, with payouts nearly quadrupling from $91 million to $320 million in just four years. While much of this financial burden stems from lawsuits involving the Los Angeles Police Department, housing discrimination and crumbling infrastructure, the city's broken sidewalks account for a small but growing portion of the pot due to over 4,000 miles of sidewalks in various states of disrepair. Throw in some outdated policies and inadequate tree management as invasive roots of ficus trees contribute to woes, and you have an untenable situation.Could spending and prioritizing public spaces stave off future liabilities? Find out in our seventh episode this season.Special guests: Attorney Mauro Fiore Jr.Attorney Chris ArdalanJessica Meaney, executive director of Investing in PlaceAttorney Paula PearlmanThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The future is here.Sixty years ago, the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick wondered whether androids dream and what about. As artificial intelligence moves from the realm of sci-fi into daily reality, helping companies and governments analyze data and make decisions, the questions of what mechanisms motivate AI and whether these programs can overcome human limitations remain unanswered.Many tech leaders seem to believe we are on the cusp of having self-aware AI with intelligence that surpasses humans. Even if we don't get there, we're already facing places where current laws don't really protect us.Join us in our sixth episode this season for a tour through a not-so-post-apocalyptic landscape as companies and experts try to navigate how humans bring AI more and more to life. Special guests:Tyler Johnston, founder of the Midas ProjectStephen Thaler, founder of Imagination EnginesEllie Pavlick, assistant professor of computer science and linguistics at Brown UniversityMatthew Tokson, law professor at the University of UtahScott Stevenson, CEO of SpellbookUlysses Secrest, artist and owner of Aerarius MetalworksChatGPTThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In February, President Donald Trump started signing a series of executive orders and presidential memorandums against individual “Big Law” firms, accusing them of engaging in “conduct detrimental to critical American interests” and directing federal agency heads to review and scrutinize security clearances and any government contracts, as well as barring attorneys from government buildings.These targeted executive orders — and the looming threat of more to come —  ultimately triggered several major American firms to quickly agree to provide tens of millions of dollars in pro bono legal work aligned with the administration's priorities.In our fifth episode this season, we look at what this means for Big Law, the $340 million of pledged pro bono legal work on Trump's behalf and which firms are fighting back in the courts.Special guests:Scott Cummings, law professor at UCLA School of LawClaire Finkelstein, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law SchoolThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome to the age of the imperial presidency, dear listener.After President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office in January, he flexed a newfound authority unlike his predecessors as he spent the first few weeks legislating through executive orders.Whether you think Trump is above the law in practice or theory, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last July in Trump v. United States feels particularly poignant as his administration faces over 100 lawsuits under 100 days into his second term.How does the court's finding impact how Trump legislates from the executive branch? Does he really have the power to fire federal employees and the heads of nonpartisan bureaus? With the help of our D.C. reporters Ryan Knappenberger and Benjamin S. Weiss, we break this down and more in our fourth episode this season.Special guests:Ben Olinsky, senior vice president for structural reform at the Center for American ProgressMichael Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American ProgressJed Shugerman, law professor at Boston University School of LawSharece Thrower, political science professor at Vanderbilt UniversityThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

It took decades for death row inmate Richard Glossip to convince Oklahomans and, later, the U.S. Supreme Court that he deserved a new trial. Glossip is just one of many inmates who say they faced convictions for crimes they did not commit. Read about enough of these cases, and you'll be asking, “Is innocence enough?”For the wrongfully convicted, tearful reunions and proclamations of justice from the courthouse steps only come after an arduous exoneration process paved with years of litigation.The average person wrongfully convicted loses a decade of their life behind bars, learning the legal system and advocating for their innocence. As the number of exonerations rise annually, there is still no way to track how many people have suffered unjust convictions.In the third episode of our fifth season, we journey through the highs and lows of post-conviction purgatory for people claiming innocence, from one Oklahoma man's hand-written petitions to a New York man who waited nearly two decades for evidence to emerge for a lawyer to take his case.Special guests:Andrea Miller, legal director of the Oklahoma Innocence ProjectMaurice Possley, researcher at the National Registry of ExonerationsJustin Brooks, co-founder of the California Innocence ProjectLaneshia Jordan, Texas attorneyJeffrey Deskovic, exoneree and attorneyMichael Grant, exoneree and assistant director of The Liberation FoundationRetired U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen MixCarl Wyatt, Oklahoma inmate asserting innocenceThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, otherwise known as RICO. It's famous as the law used to take down organized crime, with then-U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani bringing the Mafia Commission Trial in the 1980s after indicting nine high-level organized crime figures, including the heads of New York's "Five Families."But that's not the only time it comes up in court. It's been used in criminal court to go after motorcycle clubs, wealthy investors, the Key West Police Department in Florida, R&B singer R. Kelly and even President Donald Trump, but also in civil cases, like against Big Tobacco and sex abuse claims against the Catholic Church. RICO is the subject of our second episode this season: What it is, what it isn't and why it's used so much in one particular state.Special guests:George Anastasia, former Philadelphia Inquirer crime reporterJeff Grell, an attorney and lecturer at the University of Minnesota Law SchoolEric Seidel, former deputy attorney general in charge of New York's Organized Crime Task ForceJoe Lancaster, an assistant editor at ReasonThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome back, listeners, to our humble show's fifth season.As America welcomes a new president, a particular media company welcomes a new owner. Well, almost. That's why we're here to guide you through the uncertainty of a certain bankruptcy process, promising to determine who will own one of the nation's most controversial media companies, one whose name sums it all up with a bow: Infowars.Despite over a billion dollars in defamation judgments, Alex Jones remains vocal online as he continues to operate his media empire while a bankruptcy court determines its future owner.Will satirical news outlet The Onion eventually wrest control away from Jones? And what sort of implications does the case have on disinformation and free speech? All we know is the battle for Infowars is far from over.Special guests:Dan Friesen, co-host of the Knowledge Fight podcastChristopher Hampson, professor of law at the University of FloridaNolan Higdon, critical media literacy scholar and lecturer at the University of California Santa CruzThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Hello, doughty listener! Season five of Sidebar is just around the corner. Join our hosts and reporters as they take you around the nation to break down our legal system and how it impacts the life you live. Follow us on Twitter @SidebarCNS and www.courthousenews.com for more.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Editor's note: This episode includes court testimony containing explicit language. Dust off your tux and polish your dancing shoes: It's time for Sidebar's end-of-the-year extravaganza and season finale. We bring you three of the most interesting and unusual trials you missed this year while President-elect Donald Trump was soaking up the attention in courthouses nationwide.And there's no better way to kick this party off than Georgia's longest-running criminal trial in state history: The prolonged RICO trial of Young Thug and alleged violent street gang Young Slime Life in Atlanta. To guide you through the ins and outs of a trial with more twists and defendants than an M. Night Shyamalan movie is our Atlanta reporter, Megan Butler.Up next, with help from our intrepid New York reporter Erik Uebelacker, we turn our attention to the National Rifle Association's legal troubles, detailing the two trials over former NRA President Wayne LaPierre's misuse of the organization's funds for personal luxury and how the NRA will govern itself going forward.To round out an episode jampacked with acronyms, why did a judge throw out a $4.7 billion verdict against the NFL over antitrust violations connected to its Sunday Ticket package after fans claimed the price was artificially inflated? Edvard Pettersson has the answer.See you in January with new episodes you won't want to miss.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Ryan Abbott, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The art world isn't limited to museums and galleries anymore, with pieces now embedded in courthouses across the country — from the majestic marble palace of the U.S. Supreme Court to landscapes urging conversations about climate change at the Byron White U.S. Courthouse in Denver.  How did we move away from serious images of Lady Justice and authoritative judges clad in black robes to swaths of color and happy trees? How did art get into the judicial system to begin with?In our penultimate episode this season, we bring you the artists who capture vivid portraits that honor state justices and attorneys not often memorialized in art and how courtroom sketches transcend photography to paint a picture of a defendant up close and personal or document moments of social change.Special guests:Roger Laux Nelson, a landscape artist with works in the 10th Circuit Court of AppealsXimena Velázquez-Arenas, an artist and attorneyTed Ellis, an artist and director of Florida State University's Civil Rights Institute Jennifer Gibson, director of the Center for Fine Arts at the General Services AdministrationDrew Alderson, manager of the Colorado Judicial Learning CenterJoan Kee, director of the Institute of Fine Arts at New York UniversityVicki Behringer, a courtroom sketch artistThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Sensational headlines, societal upheaval and a gruesome crime that shook Fall River, Massachusetts, to its core.Turn off the lights and cozy up to the fireplace as we bring you the spookiest type of story we can — one straight from the history books. America's first trial of the century came from an unusual source: Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old unmarried upper-class woman in 1892 New England. Borden's father and stepmother met their final moments in one of the most brutal of ways, at the hands of someone with an axe.Did she do it? With the help of two writers, we bring you inside the courtroom for Borden's trial, a legal spectacle set against the backdrop of yellow journalism and a nation gripped by details of a crime among the affluent, complete with an all-star cast of attorneys. Special guests:Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie BordenMark Olshaker, co-author of The Cases That Haunt UsThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

It's October, so you know what that means ... spooky season is finally here! And with it, the Supreme Court is back in session, complete with ghosts of the gun variety.In this year's SCOTUS preview, we bring you the cases you need to know. The court will weigh in on a Biden administration rule to redefine firearms to address the public safety risk of ghost guns in America. We delve into the complexities and legal arguments that ignited a heated debate with gun manufacturers and the NRA over what truly constitutes a firearm.The court will also hear about the death penalty case of Richard Glossip, who has faced the specter of execution nine times for a crime he claims he didn't commit. From the dubious testimony of the actual murderer to the systemic failures that have kept Glossip on death row, the case has led even unlikely proponents to question the mechanics of our justice system.And we tackle Tennessee's controversial SB1 law, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors. This controversial legislation pits the state's focus on the experimental nature of such treatments against the medical community's endorsement of their necessity. This legal battle doesn't just impact Tennessee; it could reshape the landscape for transgender rights nationwide.Special guests:Don Knight, Richard Glossip's attorneyRobert Dunham, director at the Death Penalty Policy Project and special counsel at Phillips BlackOklahoma state Representative Justin HumphreySasha Buchert, director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda LegalEric Tirschwell, executive director of Everytown LawCody Wilson, director of Defense DistributedKevin Tobia, a professor of law and philosophy at GeorgetownErin Erhardt, litigation counsel at the National Rifle AssociationThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Zombie voters. Sham elections. Voter fraud.In the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, election lawsuits are flooding courts across the U.S., with the timing of some geared more toward grabbing headlines than achieving legal resolutions. Allegations aren't considered true until a judge's final order, but that doesn't stop people from believing them.In our 10th episode this season, we uncover the raw truths behind the politicized world of election integrity starting in Grand Junction, Colo., where a 2021 municipal election became a flashpoint for ideological battles and unfounded claims of voter fraud leading to the intricate legal quagmire surrounding Tina Peters, a former Colorado election official embroiled in controversy.From there, we zero in on the world of pre-election litigation and voter registration errors in legal battles raging across states like Arizona, Ohio and Pennsylvania, touching on the delicate balance between security and transparency.Special guests:Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr.  Bobbie Gross, clerk and recorder for Mesa County, Colo.Abe Herman, mayor of Grand Junction, Colo.Marly Hornik, chief executive officer of United Sovereign Americans   Leah Tulin, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice's Democracy ProgramWitold "Vic" Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of PennsylvaniaThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Known for his unwavering conservative stance, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's career has been marked by significant legal battles, including a protracted securities fraud case and intense impeachment proceedings that left an indelible mark on his legacy.And yet, his trajectory from state representative to Texas' top cop continues upward, setting him up as a possible candidate for a potential second Donald Trump administration.In our ninth episode this season, we unravel how a group of whistleblowers reported alleged misconduct by Paxton to the FBI, sparking a series of retaliatory actions and a legislative probe that set the stage for a dramatic showdown in a high-stakes impeachment trial that led to a not guilty verdict.What broader implications for the state Republican Party's internal dynamics awaited post-acquittal? Dear listener, tune in so you don't miss out on this exploration of one of Texas' most polarizing and powerful political figures.Special guests:Lara Hollingsworth, partner at Durham, Pittard & SpaldingCal Jillson, political science professor at Southern Methodist UniversityAnn Johnson, representative of Texas House District 134Tom Nesbitt, attorney at DeShazo & NesbittJonathan Saenz, president of Texas ValuesThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

All aboard, fair listeners, as we take you on a summer tour of the fascinating world of courthouse architecture and how it shapes our justice system.Can courthouse design impact justice?You've joined us right in the middle of America's greatest era of civics construction. Over the last 30 years, the federal government spent more than $10 billion building or renovating more than 200 federal courts, not to mention all the new state ones. Due to growing caseloads, more judges get appointed, who, in turn, need more space for more staff.In our eighth episode this season, we detail the history behind grand, historical courthouse and the innovation of more modern designs, like the “Cube” in Los Angeles. From the architects crafting light-filled, functional courthouse spaces to the sheriffs seeking to amplify light inside to prioritize mental health and security for inmates and staff alike, we bring you the thoughts behind the critical evolution in courthouse design.A quick editor's note: we are off for our summer break until August. See you then, same time, same place!Special guests:Curtis Fentress, principal in charge of design at Fentress ArchitectsDenver Sheriff Elias Diggins Denver County Court Judge Frances SimonetKate Merrill, wedding photographerThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

In the past few years, there's been an explosion of nationwide injunctions coming from single-judge divisions in the federal court system. These judges were handpicked by the people filing these lawsuits.You may have heard of one: U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. With Kacsmaryk's rulings, Texas has been able to dictate federal discrimination guidance for transgender employees and commandeer the Biden administration's immigration policies. He also tried to limit abortion access nationwide, issuing a ruling that would have removed the abortion drug mifepristone from shelves across the country.In Sidebar's seventh episode this season, we bring you the inside baseball of judge shopping. Federal rules govern how many judges are assigned to a court, and when a court has a division with only one judge at the helm, it becomes easier to know who will hear your case.Special guests:Brook Gotberg, law professor at Brigham Young UniversityLaura Coordes, law professor at Arizona State UniversitySteve Vladeck, law professor at the University of Texas at AustinJonas Anderson, law professor at the University of UtahThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Receipts. Proof. Timeline. Screenshots. What fuels the flames of drama in episodes of Bravo's hugely successful “Real Housewives” franchise can also come into play off the screen when current and former reality stars duke it out in court against in each other and their former producers and employer. In our sixth episode this season, we expose the dark side of reality TV chaos. From claims of an unsafe work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress made by cast members against producers, to sexual assault by their costars, how much of what we see is actually ... well, real? What does the future of these shows look like in light of these burgeoning legal battles and amid a call to arms by former start Bethenny Frankel to unionize in a “reality TV reckoning”? Does any accountability fall at the gilded doorstep of Bravo and Andy Cohen for the behaviors of their Bravolebrities? Tune in to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start being real. Real litigious. Special guests:Attorney Mark Geragos, who represents former “Vanderpump Rules” stars Rachel Leviss and Faith StowersBrian Moylan, author of “The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives”Attorneys Cesie Alvarez and Angela Angotti of “The Bravo Docket” podcastThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Would you believe us if we told you copyright law is the biggest regulation on free speech in the United States? When you exercise your First Amendment right to paint a picture or write the next great American novel, your speech belongs to you. No one can take it and pass it off as their own. But when all the power is vested solely in one person, the rights of others slowly begin to dwindle. If you think copyright is just a term for media executives and lawyers, come along as we unravel its constitutional underpinnings. In our fifth episode this season, we dissect this intricate balance that copyright law maintains between protecting creators and ensuring the public's unfettered access to cultural treasurer, detailing the symbiotic relationship between artistic works and the fundamental right to speak freely. Copyright is all around us because speech is all around us. Special guests:Jennifer Jenkins, a Duke University professor of law and director of the university's Center for the Study of the Public DomainMike Masnick, writer and founder of TechdirtCorynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier FoundationKeith Kupferschmid, CEO of Copyright AllianceThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The landscape of abortion rights in America is unrecognizable in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.Join us for our fourth episode this season as we navigate this tumultuous terrain, dissecting the seismic shifts and looming legal — and political — battles that promise to keep this issue at the forefront of national discourse. As states become battlegrounds with polarized stances on reproductive laws, how will the growing schism impact our collective moral compass and individual liberties?Hold onto your seats as we examine the Supreme Court's potential reshaping of federal authority over FDA-approved abortion medications like mifepristone and the state-level legislation redrawing the battleground of reproductive rights by either restricting or safeguarding abortion access, spotlighting Alabama's legal contortions over fetal personhood and its deep entanglement with in vitro fertilization treatments that could eventually redefine reproductive autonomy. Special guests:Dale Cecka, director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic at Albany Law SchoolChelsey Youman, national legislative advisor for Human Coalition Action Grace Howard, associate professor of justice studies at San Jose State UniversityDana Sussman, deputy executive director at Pregnancy JusticeAziza Ahmed, law professor at Boston UniversityThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Editor's note: This episode is not family friendly due to some colorful language.A long-running feud between eviction lawyers Dennis Block and Danny Bramzon cumulated into a Twitter parody account and a libel lawsuit that made it all the way to a jury trial.In the third episode this season, we take the temperature of defamation law in the 21st century when it comes to X, formerly known as Twitter.Block isn't the only one unsuccessful in the courtroom. A lawsuit that sought to take down Elon Musk over his infamous “pedo guy” tweet failed, as did efforts by “badass lawyer” Todd Levitt and former Congressman Devin Nunes over their Twitter impersonators.Why is it so hard to win a defamation lawsuit when digital satire is at play? The courtroom becomes a crucible, with jurors and judges wrestling over the true nature of parody, leaving us pondering the potential repercussions of a legal system scrambling to catch up with the online world's rapid evolution.Special guests:Eric Anderson, an attorney for Bramzon's firm, BastaChristopher Frost, an attorney for BlockEugene Volokh, UCLA law professor and blogger at The Volokh Conspiracy Gordon Bloem, an attorney sued by LevittPaul Alan Levy, an attorney at Public Citizen Ryan Mac, tech reporter at The New York Times This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Surprise, listeners! We're coming to you, almost live, with a special breaking news mini episode on the Supreme Court's unanimous decision to keep former President Donald Trump on Colorado's ballot.Our very own Amanda Pampuro and Kelsey Reichmann meticulously dissect the twists and turns of the legal journey that led to this point, from the initial lawsuit by concerned Colorado voters to the constitutional debates the ensued before SCOTUS.How great is the magnitude of this ruling, not just for Trump's potential return to the highest office in the land, but for its groundbreaking implications on the constitutional standards that determine who can lead the nation?Special guest: ·         Mark Graber, law professor at the University of MarylandThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Look around, dear listener. Everything is heart-shaped and pink. People are getting ready for a special night with their special someone. In our second episode this season, we take you through the dark alleyways of online dating, where $1.3 billion vanished into the pockets of scammers in just one year, and peel back the layers of marketing sleights of hand that extend far beyond the realm of matchmaking. From mimosas without champagne to candy heart boxes with more filler than chocolate, we dissect the conflict between what's advertised and what lands in consumers' hands — a legal battlefield constantly redefining the line between enticing and misleading. Special guests:“Al,” pro se plaintiff who sued Bumble  Kevin Lewis, sociology professor at UC San DiegoAttorney Spencer SheehanAttorney Robert FreundJennifer Pomeranz, public health attorney and NYU professorBonnie Patten, executive director of Truth in AdvertisingThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome to season four of Sidebar! We're kicking off our first episode of 2024 by traversing the digital terrain of internet sleuths, those armchair detectives whose keyboards are the new magnifying glasses.Everyone has a hobby. Something to keep them busy, pass the time or unwind after work. Maybe listening to your favorite podcast is that thing. One such hobby that has grown with the help of the internet and social media is internet sleuthing. On websites like TikTok, Reddit and Websleuths, people post the latest theories about mysteries big and small.Since the high-profile murder of Gabby Petito, it feels like hobby investigators have gained more prominence, from the initial mystery of the University of Idaho student murders to the Rainey Street Ripper, the Austin, Texas, serial killer that wasn't.What's behind the psychological forces that drive this online phenomenon?Special guests:David Schmid, professor of English at the University of BuffaloRachel Monroe, author of “Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession”Chance Townsend, assistant editor at MashableThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Season four of Sidebar, a podcast from Courthouse News, kicks off just around the corner. Join our hosts and reporters as they take you around the nation to break down lawsuits, the law and how they impact you and the life you live. Follow us on Twitter @SidebarCNS and www.courthousenews.com for more.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome to our end-of-the-year gala episode of Sidebar.It's hard to divvy out awards for the most important or interesting cases of 2023 when former President Donald Trump has dominated so many of them. This was the year Trump took over Courthouse News, appearing in court as a defendant many times.From charges in New York that Trump schemed to make illegal hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and an indictment over Trump mishandling classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago resort to another indictment in Georgia over conspiracy to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, 2023 saw Trump dominating headlines. This trend is unlikely to die down next year as the cases ramp up and he forges ahead as the Republican Party's No. 1 guy to run against President Joe Biden.But it wasn't all about Trump. No courtroom drama is off-limits as we also spotlight the fraud trial of cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried and the murder trial of South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh. Sit back, pop some bubbly and join us as we sift through the year's most riveting legal tales.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

No institution in American life has a far-reaching and outsized role in communities quite like the public school system.Take a seat, Sidebar listeners, as we dive into the heart of public education and its role in our democracy for our penultimate episode this season. We take you beyond the classroom, looking at landmark rulings like Brown v. Board of Education and highlighting the dual role of public schools: to educate and to unite individuals of various backgrounds in a shared vision.Gear up to navigate the treacherous waters of the school choice movement with us, from religious schools to church-state separation and the impact on the future of public education.Special guests:Derek Black, law professor at the University of South CarolinaSteve Suitts, adjunct lecturer at Emory UniversityRachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and StateJohn Bursch, senior counsel for Alliance Defending FreedomDaniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and BeliefThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Happy Halloween, all you goblins and ghouls. Prepare yourselves for a real spooky season treat as we traverse the gloomy annals of witch trials. Join us for our 12th episode this season as we dispel myths and shine a light on how and why these judicial proceedings played out across Europe and the United States. We're talking grand juries, indictments, spectral evidence and even acquittals in what were considered by the standards of the time to be fair trials.There are no tricks here as we examine the chilling circumstances behind the notorious Salem witch trials and the ensuing paranoia that led to widespread accusations and tragic executions. How has Salem maintained its hold on the American psyche for more than 300 years?Hold on to your broomstick as we ride through this spine-chilling side of the past.Special guests:Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and author of “The Witches: Salem, 1692”Marion Gibson, Renaissance and magical literatures professor at the University of Exeter and author of “Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials”This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Another year, another five-alarm fire burning before the U.S. Supreme Court.Kelsey Reichmann, Courthouse News' Supreme Court reporter and the newest addition to the Sidebar team, joined just in time for this year's preview of the court's upcoming term.The top court in all the land is back at it again following landmark decisions that it has delivered for the conservative legal movement in ending the constitutional right to an abortion, rewriting Second Amendment jurisprudence and allowing churches to have more influence in public institutions. All the political and legal shake-ups have brought us to where we are today, with the justices set to consider if more people should be allowed to own a firearm, if you can trash talk your mayor and if the government can function as it always has.Trust us, you'll want to stick around for that last one to hear if it will fuel a fire impacting every facet of United States government as we know it.Special guests:Sarah Bennett, principal and managing attorney at Sodoma Law NorthKevin Lindke, plaintiff in Lindke v. Freed before the Supreme CourtRobert Corn-Revere, chief counsel at FIREDan Walters, professor at Texas A&M University School of LawJasmine Harris, professor at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law SchoolThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

The love story between Hollywood megastars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was destined for public fascination from the start as they merged family, philanthropy and a rather unexpected shared passion — wine. So, when they split in 2016, no one saw it coming. What followed was one of the most bitterly contested celebrity divorces in recent history. But what came after was in some ways even uglier — a lawsuit over Miraval, an estate in the south of France and home of its namesake rosé. This lawsuit opened a window into Brangelina's private lives and revealed why their marriage ultimately fell apart. In our 10th episode this season, we dissect the court documents to understand the broader implications of this battle. The couple bought Château Miraval to create a haven away from Hollywood, but the vineyard dispute ultimately revealed how their rosé relationship soured into vinegar. The denouement will be anything but neat as the court parses out who owns what. Fitting, in a way, since perfect endings are rare outside of Tinseltown.Special guests:Constance Grady, culture writer for VoxTamlyn Currin, wine writer and editor for Jancis RobinsonNancy Chemtob, founder and partner at Chemtob Moss Forman & BeydaSteven Mandel, founder at The Mandel Law FirmThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome back, listeners, from what we hope was a calm, relaxing break.If it was anything like ours, just when you cozied up with a summer read, you were likely jarred back to reality by a pesky robocall asking about your auto warranty.Receiving unwanted robocalls remains a universal experience 32 years after Congress passed the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to empower Americans to fight off unwanted calls. In our ninth episode this season, we explain why the law did little to stop overseas scammers and instead created financial incentives for plaintiffs and their attorneys, ultimately leading to the Supreme Court's determination of what constituted an "autodialer."Now, an Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Taskforce of 49 attorneys general are taking on Avid Telecom, a Voice over Internet Protocol provider accused of sending or trying to send more than 24.5 billion calls.Will the outcome inspire Americans to start answering their phones? Press one for yes or two for no.Special guests:Noah Duguid, who sued Facebook over unwanted texts Roger Anderson, founder of the Jolly Roger Telephone CompanyEric Troutman, defense attorney and “czar” of the TCPA Chris Laccinole, a frequent TCPA litigator  Isaac Shloss, chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Professional Associations for Customer Engagement Attorney Jay EdelsonThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Ed Sheeran and reggaeton might have more in common than you know: the artist and the genre have been the subject of battles over whether you can copyright a groove or a rhythm.In our last episode before summer break, we unravel the recent Ed Sheeran copyright trial with our New York City reporter, Josh Russell, including Sheeran's snarky cross-examination, his courtroom concert and Van Morrison's unexpected blessing.We also explore reggaeton's history and the legal dispute between Jamaican reggae production duo Steely & Clevie and several reggaeton musicians and producers over whether or not you can copyright dembow, heard in songs popularized by Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Should state borders change to create political havens? Come along as we take a road trip through the world of secession as we look at the urban-rural divide and how it shapes these movements.Our first stop in our seventh episode this season? The Greater Idaho movement, a grassroots organization that aims to shift the Idaho state border to encompass eastern Oregon and escape the liberal politics of the Beaver State.The trip wouldn't be complete without the State of Jefferson in rural Northern California and southern Oregon, a movement driven by discontent and boosted in popularity by a San Francisco Chronicle reporter during World War II.Buckle up, and let's hit the road!Special guests:Matt McCaw, spokesman for the Greater Idaho movementPeter Laufer, journalist and journalism professor at the University of OregonBryan Clark, opinion writer at the Idaho StatesmanNorman Williams, law professor at Willamette UniversityThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Imagine stashing your hard-earned savings in a safety deposit box, only to find out the FBI has raided the place and your money is gone thanks to the controversial practice of civil forfeiture, which allows law enforcement to seize people's assets with little explanation. That's what happened to a number of Californians who stored their cash at U.S. Private Vaults in Beverly Hills.Join us for this season's sixth episode as we tell their story and explore how their money got caught up in a vault at the center of a federal investigation.The story doesn't stop there. We also hear from trucker Jerry Johnson, who also experienced civil forfeiture firsthand when his $39,500 in cash was seized by the Phoenix Police Department after he flew into the city to buy a big rig. It took years and help from the Institute for Justice to get his money back.Special guests:Linda MartinBenjamin Gluck, an attorney with Bird MarellaSteve Welk, a former assistant U.S. attorneyJeni PearsonsDan Alban, a senior attorney at the Institute for JusticeJerry JohnsonBob Belden, an attorney at the Institute for JusticeThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

A note: this episode contains language that might make you or your nana blush. Pull up a chair as we bring you into the comedy club and beyond. Laughter may be the best medicine, but how does it hold up in court? Over the decades, courts carved out clear First Amendment protections for comics facing criminal obscenity and parodists taken a little too seriously. While the past informs the present, the rare joker can still find himself at the wrong end of the law over a Facebook post.In our fifth episode this season, we break down how certain words are OK under the eyes of the law, courtesy of the infamous Lenny Bruce obscenity trials. We also delve into cases like Jerry Falwell's defamation lawsuit against Hustler magazine and the challenges of navigating social media and free speech. Spoiler alert: the First Amendment is not always so cut and dry, causing some parodists to find out the hard way that it does not protect all speech, funny or not.Join us as we navigate the often amusing and sometimes controversial world of jokes and their legal consequences.Special guests:Waylon Bailey, heavyweight boxer from Forest Hill, Louisiana.Douglas Linder, professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas CityJames Flynn, managing director at Epstein Becker GreenCaroline Grace Brothers, an attorney with the Institute for JusticeAnthony Novak, parodist from Parma, Ohio  Mike Gillis, lead writer for The OnionThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Blue laws. They are quirky and annoying outdated restrictions on activities to ensure Sunday is a day of rest and worship. Some go beyond dictating when you can or cannot get a drink, and sometimes they leave you scratching your head wondering, why in the world are they still on the books?In this season's fourth episode, we dive into the history and impact of the laws. We explore the story of a Brooklyn nightclub suing New York for refusing to issue a special event permit for extended hours on New Year's Eve and the ongoing debate surrounding blue laws and their place in modern society. And we also look at the upside: how these laws give some workers the reprieve they need from a long work week.Prepare for a joyride through a legal antique shop, just hope the lawman doesn't catch us!Special guests:Polina Buckley, owner of nightclub Eris EvolutionJonathan Corbett, a civil rights attorneyPatricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell UniversityThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, around 60 million American households have pets. That is a ton of good boys and girls out there. But have you ever stopped and wondered about the laws that define pet ownership? Are there specific pets that you can't own where you live? How regulated is the pet trade? And what about exotic animals, where the sale and trade of such creatures is a state-by-state issue?In this episode, we break down the wild and wooly world of pet law  —  from the protections granted (or not so much) in the Animal Welfare Act to the effect that Netflix's breakout pandemic hit "Tiger King" may have had on getting the Big Cat Public Safety Act passed and what's next for regulating primate ownership in the U.S.And it's not just big mammals that need to be regulated to stop wreaking havoc on communities, but also pythons and feral cats. In Florida, the Burmese python population has exploded so much that the state has declared open season on them allowing them to be hunted year-round without a license or permit. And nationwide, the songbird population has declined by drastic numbers due to the skilled hunting of cats.Special guests:Kate Dylewsky, assistant director of government affairs at the Animal Welfare InstituteJohn Goodwin, senior director of the Stop Puppy Mills campaign at the Humane Society of the United StatesTim Pylate, executive director at Armand Bayou Nature CenterZandra Anderson, animal law attorneyThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Heads up for listeners: this episode contains explicit language. When legal battles come down to damages, most consider the final judgment to show who won the game and by how much. But in a highly specialized area of law, that judgment is just the beginning when the losing team refuses to pay. In our second episode this season, we introduce you to a few judgment enforcement attorneys, a small specialized group that only numbers in the dozens. Judgment enforcers are lawyers expected to file writs, subpoenas and anything of the like with the courts. But they are also private detectives, investigating where debtors hide their money. On the other side, Alki David. Born into a shipping family that owned Coca-Cola bottling plants, David has had a series of businesses himself, including a modeling agency, a video streaming website, and a marijuana company with boxer Mike Tyson called Swissx. He lives in a $20 million Malibu beach house, but not for long due to a court order to seize that house to pay for a sexual harassment judgment against him. Special guests:Joseph ChoraJay AdkissonRon SlatesThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Welcome to season three of Sidebar! You'll want to strap in while we bring you closer to the stars as new technology and more investors bring us deeper into space. Science fiction is rapidly becoming science fact. One thing rarely discussed in your favorite sci-fi movies is the laws that govern outer space.If billions of dollars, dozens of political manifesto and decades of Trekkie dreams come to fruition, there is nothing protecting man's interstellar impression. Even Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon could go unprotected.And what about all that space junk? Thousands of active satellites, inactive satellites, pieces of rockets, debris and uncategorized things are out there, floating around our planet. All are governed by little more than the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Special guests:Michelle Hanlon, co-director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of MississippiKojiro Fujii, attorney at Nishimura + Asahi in Japan and executive committee member at Nishimura Institute of Advanced Legal StudiesSkip Smith, space law attorney at Sherman & HowardMichael Dodge, associate professor of space studies at the University of North DakotaKelli Kedis Ogborn, vice president of space commerce and entrepreneurship at Space FoundationAvishai Melamed, graduate student in Cornell University's Department of GovernmentPassive AggressionA Midwestern look at hot button, taboo and dated topics with Kyle and Jess WassingListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Season three of Sidebar, a podcast from Courthouse News, kicks off just around the corner. Join our hosts and reporters as they take you around the nation to break down lawsuits, the law and how they impact you and the life you live. Follow us on Twitter @SidebarCNS and www.courthousenews.com for more.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

While some aspects of 2022 felt like a return to easier, simpler days, the news coming out of courthouses across the country did not stop.In this episode, we look at the year's most memorable trials: the ones that made us laugh, the ones that made us cry and the ones that made us stop and question how we got here.We take you back to the Alex Jones defamation trials in Texas and Connecticut, which garnered enormous damages for the family members of Sandy Hook victims and swamped our social media feeds. Jones wasn't the only right-winger to see his day in court: members of the Oath Keepers were held accountable for seditious conspiracy for their parts in the Jan. 6 insurrection, and in Michigan, a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, went bust.It was also a big year for celebrity trials. R&B singer R. Kelly's child abuse conviction in a Chicago courtroom, film producer Harvey Weinstein's second sexual assault trial, a jury deadlocking on rape charges against "That '70s Show" actor Danny Masterson, and a certain defamation trial involving movie stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. The headlines didn't stop as trial after trial captured the attention of readers and reporters. Come on in, settle down and let us bring you back through the year as we take you through these cases and more until we are back in 2023.This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Bounty hunters. Figures from folk tales, fantasy and reality TV; free agents that work as an extension of the law. Whatever comes to mind, this latest chapter in vigilante justice is shaking things up even more at a polarized time in the country.The enaction of Texas's Senate Bill 8 allows private citizens to file civil lawsuits against anyone who provides or helps someone attain an abortion, with a possible award of at least $10,000 per lawsuit. Since then, California has passed a law modeled on Texas, allowing private citizens to sue gun law violators. How likely are they to catch on in the future?These sorts of citizen enforcement laws aren't totally new, but the way SB 8 has played out is a lot different than a hired hand chasing after a bank robber who skipped town on bail.What does it mean to put this kind of power into the hands of ordinary people who end up selecting themselves to take up the cause of policing or surveilling others' decisions?We talked to experts in our penultimate episode to explore the implications of SB 8 and what it could mean for other constitutionally protected rights. And, to really understand what can happen with these laws, we go back in time to some of the darkest chapters in U.S. history: the enforcement of slavery and Jim Crow laws.Special guests:David Noll, law professor at Rutgers Law SchoolJohn Seago, president of Texas Right to LifeLouise Melling, deputy legal director at the ACLU and director of its Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for LibertyThis episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

Pour yourself a hot drink, settle in beside the fire and get ready for a hauntingly good time as we bring you four chilling tales just in time for Halloween.In our first chapter: McKamey Manor, arguably the scariest haunted house in operation, with an even scarier 40-page liability waiver. Among the things that you agree to possibly experience? Medieval torture devices. Nails removed from their nail beds. You may be subjected to extreme temperatures or have your head enclosed in a box with bees and wasps. These experiences aren't enough to stop over 20,000 fright seekers from joining the waitlist.Next up on the demon docket: Stambovsky v. Ackley, also known as the Ghostbusters ruling. A man bought a house in Nyack, New York, that turned out to be so haunted that not only did he get out of his purchase, but the appellate division of the New York Supreme Court found that, "as a matter of law, the house is haunted."A copyright case to turn your blood cold: the battle to keep "Dracula" out of the public domain and the classic silent film "Nosferatu" out of homes. Eventually, the fight landed before a German judge who ordered all remaining copies of “Nosferatu” to be burned, but it was too late — the movie and the infamous vampire live on.We finish our tour of scary stories with one steeped in the occult: Mark Twain's return from the grave. Or, alleged return. Two mediums, Emily Grant Hutchings and Lola V. Hayes, claimed to speak with the spirit of Mark Twain. The famous storyteller supposedly tasked them with recording his next novel, "Jap Herron: A Novel Written From the Ouija Board.”This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

While this U.S. Supreme Court term shouldn't result in as many sweeping decisions as the last, which upended nationwide abortion rights and gun control precedents, it'll be far from a lightweight season. The court's cases are varied: from redistricting to artist integrity to the legality of the Indian Child Welfare Act, which gives tribal governments jurisdiction over the adoption and foster care of Native American children.In this episode, we break down some of the heavyweight appeals the court will hear with the help of our very own Kelsey Reichmann.First, we delve into two cases that could affect elections for decades to come, deciding whether states should take race into account during redistricting and if legislatures should be the ones to draw those lines or if the courts have any say in the process.The Supreme Court will also weigh in on a copyright dispute between the Warhol Foundation and Lynn Goldsmith over a photo she took of the artist Prince that Andy Warhol used as a reference in several prints. Another case rooted in the visual arts comes to the court from Colorado. A website designer is challenging the state's Anti-Discrimination Act, saying it violates her First Amendment rights by forcing her to serve LGBT couples.Last, we lay out the Indian Child Welfare Act, what is at stake over its continued legality, and what the law means to tribal governments, courts and their people.

It's a First Amendment fight for the modern ages: the right to free speech versus the pursuit of justice, and the stakes are often someone's freedom. In courtrooms across the country, prosecutors are going after rappers using the artists' lyrics against them.While not a recent development in the law, the issue has entered the spotlight with the arrests of rappers Young Thug and Gunna in Georgia on charges of violating the state's RICO Act. Prosecutors allege the high-profile artists directly engaged in criminal activity ranging from drug-related to murder as members of the gang Young Slime Life, and cite some of their rap lyrics as evidence to support the claims.Where do protections for the right to freedom of speech end under the First Amendment? Why do rap music and Black artists seem to be the target of these prosecutions when artists in other genres tell similar tales of crime and violence? We dive into this and more in our 10th episode in this season of Sidebar.

Jury duty. A cornerstone of the American justice system brings together complete strangers with almost no context to dispense justice. Being called to your civic duty as a juror can be confusing, like taking a class you never meant to sign up for.In this episode, we take you behind the scenes in courthouses across the country to reveal the inner workings of how juries operate. Fans of true crime and “Law & Order” create new perspectives. Social media is now an unavoidable part of the process. And now, remote juries are adding a contemporary element to the selection process.We detail how you make the final cut or get out of a jury summons. It's not always an easy process, even if you are Samuel L. Jackson. Some of the best stories about juries, however, can't be predicted or avoided with all the preparation and analysis in the world.

From August 1942 to October 1945, the Amache incarceration camp on the dusty, desolate eastern plain of Colorado detained 10,000 Japanese Americans and other immigrants. Those imprisoned at Amache built their own town with a fire department, a beauty salon and schools. Detainees raised crops, grew gardens and held festivals to honor the changing seasons.Just children when uprooted with their families during World War II, the survivors of the camp were left to make sense of what happened to their families while their parents wanted to move on. The next generation of Japanese Americans, the grandchildren of prison camp survivors, are working to ensure their family's history and legacy do not disappear into the dust.In our eighth episode this season, we talk with Amache survivors and their families who have been visiting the site on an annual pilgrimage for decades. Academic researchers and students have worked with the survivors to uncover and preserve their history. Their work was recognized nationally this past March when Amache became the newest national park.

Priceless artwork and tribal artifacts have made their way across the globe through several means, some legitimate and others … not so much.While we rely on these objects to tell us about history, tradition and culture, the way they end up in our communities sometimes raises questions about what should happen to them, where they rightfully belong and how the legal system can get them home.Congress has passed laws regulating what should happen to items taken from tribes without their permission, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The water gets muddier internationally though, as political drama takes center stage.In this episode, we take a trip across the globe to see how this issue plays out in different communities.The Founders Museum in Barre, Mass. is grappling with how to properly return moccasins, dolls and clothing from the Wounded Knee Massacre to the Lakota, which lost nearly 300 people in December 1890. Down the street, the Worcester Art Museum uses art once stolen by Nazis in World War II to show the difficult task of getting back Richard Neumann's renowned art collection. We also break down communications between Austria and Mexico over a storied feathered Aztec headdress.

It feels like hardly a day goes by when you don't hear about the passage of a new, sweeping abortion law, an abortion-rights group challenging the law or another state weighing in on the treatment of transgender children, medically or within the school system. At the core of all this is bodily autonomy. How much say does an individual have over their own body?The phrase "my body, my choice" has been often used by those seeking to defy public health orders for the past two years. Meanwhile, state lawmakers have made consequential decisions impacting the ability of Americans to make personal healthcare decisions, which are a matter of life and death.In our sixth episode this season, we look at Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordering the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents of transgender kids receiving gender-affirming care, a process he called "abusive." We also dive deeper into the fallout of the state's ban on abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy and the copycat laws that have cropped up around the nation.

A quick note before we jump in: this episode contains discussions about abuse. It's not often that a case goes to trial that touches on many elements that intrigue the public. Celebrity, the #MeToo movement, public opinion and the media's coverage all swirl together as cameras are ready to capture the defamation trial between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.The former husband and wife square off in court over a $50 million defamation lawsuit Depp filed after Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post detailing her experience as a domestic violence survivor. Heard didn't name Depp in the piece but had previously sought a restraining order against the movie star for allegedly assaulting her.In this episode, we break down how we got here, the intersection of the #MeToo movement, journalism and defamation law that the case manages to encompass, and dive into how social dynamics dictate the public's response to domestic violence claims.

Need a primer for this year's midterm elections? We've got you covered.We talk to reporters and experts about how former President Donald Trump is still shaping American politics after losing reelection almost two years ago.The glue that binds Republicans together isn't just "Stop the Steal" and other theories circulating about voter integrity: it's a camaraderie built around identity and resistance to changing demographics.How is the GOP changing its messaging in "purple" districts where voters may be less keen on Trump talk and more interested in their bottom lines?We also look at the "Great Resignation." Spoiler alert: it's not just impacting your friends and family. So far, 53 representatives have announced they will not be running for reelection this year.A quick warning before you jump in: this episode contains adult language. 

The internet never forgets. It's an invaluable tool, but also one that provides little forgiveness for some individuals whose past run-ins with law enforcement, financial woes and photos of a night out on the town become publicized. We are coming to you in this episode with a primer on why the "right to be forgotten” became law in the European Union, and how the concept plays out in courtrooms and newsrooms across the United States as the government and the media try to determine what deeds can and should be erased from the internet at large. While the EU requires search engines to remove links in search results upon valid request, the U.S. has long sided with people's right to know and speak freely without fear of censorship. But that has not stopped the conversation from entering into our public discourse.