5-4
Prologue Projects
5-4 is a podcast about how much the Supreme Court sucks. Hosted by Peter Shamshiri, Rhiannon Hamam, and Michael Liroff, it's a progressive and occasionally profane take on the ideological battles at the heart of the Court's most important landmark cases and an irreverent tour of all the ways in which the law is shaped by politics.Subscribe to our premium episodes & much more at fivefourpod.com/support5-4 is a production of Prologue Projects.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 3, 2026 • 5min
Movie Review: The Devil’s Advocate [TEASER]
Election Day anxiety collides with a wildly provocative body-swap musical, as the conversation turns to enslaved characters, their owners, and an improbable romantic bond. The panel also digs into whether lawyers are literally demonic, whether toe sucking counts as satanic, and the strange pleasures of The Devil’s Advocate.
Oct 27, 2026 • 40min
Minersville School District v. Gobitis
A Supreme Court ruling forces Jehovah’s Witness children to salute the flag, unleashing wartime persecution and mob violence. The discussion traces how the decision was overturned just three years later, links the reversal to minority rights and other controversial cases, and explores the lasting protection of symbolic protest, from refusing the pledge to burning the flag.
20 snips
Oct 20, 2026 • 49min
The Vindictive Prosecution of Ilhan Omar
A federal raid on Representative Ilhan Omar’s home sparks a discussion of denaturalization, deportation, and the long-running rumors surrounding her immigration history. The conversation examines Trump’s attacks on Somali communities, selective prosecution, the uneven Democratic response, media reluctance to call political persecution by name, and how immigration policy can be weaponized against political opponents.
Oct 13, 2026 • 46min
Department of Homeland Security v. D.V.D. (and Rhoney v. Barbosa de Cunha)
Two major immigration cases take center stage: deportations to unfamiliar and dangerous countries, secret removals, and the legal battle over meaningful notice. The discussion then turns to mandatory detention, years-long confinement without bond, and the constitutional stakes. Along the way, it examines mass deportation, pressure on immigrant defense networks, and the Supreme Court’s role in enabling or restraining executive power.
7 snips
Oct 6, 2026 • 5min
250 Years of Bad Decisions Pt. 2: The Law Was Never Neutral [TEASER]
A Supreme Court retrospective explores how the myth of judicial neutrality has shaped American history. Along the way, a congressional hearing veers into comic chaos after Eric Schmidt presents wildly mistaken basketball evidence linking Jack Smith to Fani Willis. The discussion connects courtroom politics, national power, and the failures behind America’s highest court.
11 snips
Sep 25, 2026 • 43min
De-Supremify the Supreme Court with Niko Bowie and Daphna Renan
Harvard Law professors Niko Bowie and Daphna Renan, scholars of constitutional structure and democratic governance, challenge the Supreme Court’s status as the final word on the Constitution. They revisit resistance to Dred Scott, rethink Brown and Roe, and explore how Congress might reclaim constitutional authority. A provocative conversation about judicial power, federal statutes, and democratic self-government.
10 snips
Sep 22, 2026 • 46min
2026-2027 Supreme Court Term Preview
A preview of the Supreme Court’s upcoming term explores challenges to AR-15 bans, religious exemptions affecting LGBT families, and restrictions on gender-affirming care. The discussion also covers voting documentation, climate lawsuits against oil companies, prisoner medical abuse, labor agencies, Title IX, jury sizes, and the seizure of an Alaska plane over six beers.
13 snips
Sep 15, 2026 • 57min
The Innocence Case from Hell with Josie Duffy Rice
Josie Duffy Rice, an attorney, writer, and criminal justice journalist, examines Temujin Kensu’s bizarre murder conviction. They explore fabricated police work, a drug-addicted defense lawyer, an imaginary ninja syndicate, and why jurors accept impossible stories. The conversation delves into wrongful convictions, institutional denial, racial identity, judicial inaction, and Kensu’s slim path to freedom.
17 snips
Sep 8, 2026 • 53min
National Park Service v. National Trust for Historic Preservation
A proposed White House ballroom sparks a legal battle over historic preservation, missing approvals, private donors, and an underground emergency facility. The discussion examines the Supreme Court’s standing ruling, irreparable harm, and the use of procedural doctrines to shield executive power. It also explores Trump’s “act first, ask forgiveness later” strategy and the ballroom’s symbolism as authoritarian spectacle.
Aug 25, 2026 • 5min
John Roberts is on Substack, U.S. Attorneys are Fake, and the DNC is a Scam [TEASER]
They unpack efforts in Texas to ban halal food and other measures targeting Muslim practices. They discuss how a halal ban would reach everyday foods and create legal headaches. They touch on Chief Justice John Roberts showing up on Substack and strange political communications tied to the DNC. The tone is skeptical and sharp throughout.
