

Law and Chaos
Liz Dye
Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That's true for a traffic stop, and it's true if you want to participate in whatever's left of American democracy. If the events since the 2016 election taught us anything, it's that tuning out is not an option. Legal journalists Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez break down the week's most important courtroom stories, so you can keep on top of this crazy news cycle. Whether it's Texas giving two middle fingers to the Supreme Court, or Donald Trump in all the courts at once, we've got you covered.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 7, 2025 • 1h 2min
Ep 171 — Can Trump Put Troops In Every City Simply By Shouting EMERGENCY?
The government may be shut down, but ICE is not. We'll compare Trump's efforts to deploy the National Guard in LA, DC, Portland, and Chicago. In better news, Alex Jones looks to be at the end of the road with his plot to use bankruptcy to shield his company from the Sandy Hook parents. And we have breaking news in Law and Chaos's FOIA suit against the DOJ. Plus for subscribers: Was Lindsey Halligan lawfully appointed as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia? Asking for James Comey. Links: Res Ipsa Media v. DOJ https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71236135/res-ipsa-media-llc-v-department-of-justice/ First Circuit Birthright Citizenship Ruling https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca1.52521/gov.uscourts.ca1.52521.00108348619.0.pdf Oregon v. Trump https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71481149/state-of-oregon-v-trump/ Newsom v. Trump (N.D. Cal.) [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70496361/newsom-v-trump Newsom v. Trump (Ninth Circuit) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70527602/newsom-et-al-v-trump-et-al Alex Jones Bankruptcy https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66583024/alexander-e-jones-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors/ DOJ FY 2026 Contingency Plan https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1377216/dl National Review - Lindsey Halligan - Alito 1986 memo https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.njd.578930/gov.uscourts.njd.578930.61.1.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 30, 2025 • 1h 1min
Ep 170 — SCOTUS Lets Trump Steal $4 Billion Because UHHH Standing
Mike Lindell is having a bad day in court, and Alex Jones is about to. The Supreme Court decides that Trump can steal Congress's power over the budget, Constitution be damned. And Justin Baldoni returns to teach us all how NOT to do civil procedure. Links: Oregon v. Trump Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71481149/state-of-oregon-v-trump Smartmatic v. Lindell Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/62605230/smartmatic-usa-corp-v-lindell Alex Jones Bankruptcy Docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66583024/alexander-e-jones-and-official-committee-of-unsecured-creditors YouTube to Pay $24.5 Million to Settle Lawsuit Brought by Trump https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/youtube-to-pay-24-5-million-to-settle-lawsuit-brought-by-trump-808f6823 Lively v. Wayfarer https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69510553/lively-v-wayfarer-studios-llc/?order_by=desc SCOTUS ruling in State v. AIDS Vaccine Coalition motion for stay https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a269_bp7c.pdf AIDS Vaccine Coalition v. State (trial court docket) [Docket via CourtListener] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277333/gov.uscourts.dcd.277333.145.0_4.pdf White House "pocket rescission" announcement (Aug. 29, 2025) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/08/historic-pocket-rescission-package-eliminates-woke-weaponized-and-wasteful-spending/ Impoundment Control Act of 1974 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-114HPRT96107/pdf/CPRT-114HPRT96107.pdf GAO opinion on Ukraine impoundment https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/703909.pdf GAO Opinion Letter B-330330 (December 10, 2018) https://www.gao.gov/products/b-330330 White House EO Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/designating-antifa-as-a-domestic-terrorist-organization/ NSPM -7 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/countering-domestic-terrorism-and-organized-political-violence/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 26, 2025 • 52min
Ep 169 — The DOJ Descends Into Naked Corruption
After Trump appoints his lackey Lindsey Halligan US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, he finally gets his indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. But will it stand in front of a real judge? We break down the grand jury process, and why they say a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich. And for subscribers, Andrew and Liz explain how the DOJ's internet brain poisoning is jeopardizing the Luigi Mangione prosecution. Links: US v. Comey https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459120/united-states-v-comey/ Hook v. Rave (D. S.D.) [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71428718/hook-v-rave/ US v. Mangione [District Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69486519/united-states-v-mangione/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 23, 2025 • 1h 6min
Ep 168 — License To Kill? (feat. Brian Finucane)
Domestically, Tom Homan takes bribes and Republicans just don't care. Internationally, the Trump administration is engaged in international war crimes by murdering foreign civilians, and… Republicans still just don't care. Learn why this is an Article I Constitutional crisis with guest Brian Finucane. Links: Brian Finucane, International Crisis Group https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/people/brian-finucane Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 19, 2025 • 52min
Ep 167 — I Am Sparta-Kimmel!
The Trump administration goes mask-off with its attack on Jimmy Kimmel. If you'd told us the Man Show guy would become a First Amendment avatar … we'd never have believed you. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has torched its cred with all the judges, even the FedSoc ones! But Lisa Cook is still a Fed governor! Links: SCOTUS Docket Lisa Cook https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public\25a312.html Barco Mercado v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71065570/barco-mercado-v-noem/ L.G.M.L. v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71240524/lgml-v-noem Trump tries to stick up The New York Times with a water gun https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-lawsuit-new-york-times-15-billion Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 16, 2025 • 55min
Ep 166 — Refoulement Most Foul
The Department of Homeland Security has decreed that we will all learn what chain refoulement is … by watching them try to rendition wave after wave of immigrants. Andrew and Liz will explain how that's totally illegal. Plus, Newsmax is suing Fox News, again. Links: Newsmax v. Fox [Wisconsin Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71323347/newsmax-broadcasting-llc-v-fox-corporation Newsmax v. Fox [Florida Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71258079/newsmax-broadcasting-llc-v-fox-corporation Biden v. Byrne https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67990012/robert-hunter-biden-v-patrick-m-byrne Comey v. DOJ https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71348216/comey-v-united-states-department-of-justice American Federation Of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. United States Office of Personnel Management https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69655364/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-united-states/ D.A. v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71323714/da-v-noem Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 10min
Ep 165 — Lower Court Judges Throw Shade At SCOTUS Shadow Docket
District and Circuit Court judges are in more or less open revolt over the Supreme Court's abuse of the shadow docket. Perhaps Justice Gorsuch shouldn't have implied that they were all stupid and insubordinate for failing to read his mind! The Trump administration insists it's very cool and very legal to deport immigrant children in the middle of the night so long as it's Health and Human Services doing the deporting. Will Judge Tim Kelly agree? And Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are back to teach us civil procedure. Sanctions, anyone? Links: Ronny Jackson v. Weber (CA Sec State) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71235529/jackson-v-weber/ Kash Patel Makes FBI Great Again By Getting It Sued https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/kash-patel-makes-fbi-great-again Alex Jones SCOTUS Cert Petition Docket https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25-268.html Judge Ho "Denny's" Order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.224134/gov.uscourts.ca5.224134.25.1.pdf First Circuit Order, Rhode Island v. Trump https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.rid.59257/gov.uscourts.rid.59257.79.0.pdf Judges, desperate for guidance, plead with Supreme Court justices: 'Write an opinion' https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/11/supreme-court-emergency-rulings-judges-00558058 L.G.M.L. v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71240524/lgml-v-noem Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69510553/lively-v-wayfarer-studios-llc/?order_by=desc Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 9, 2025 • 58min
Ep 164 — SCOTUS Discovers that Racial Profiling Is Legal Now
The Supreme Court used the shadow docket to legalize racial profiling, although only Justice Kavanaugh was dumb enough to admit it out loud. It also overturned Humphrey's Executor, but this time even Kav wouldn't cop to it. Meanwhile at the White House, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought discovers ONE WEIRD trick to steal Congress's power of the purse. And the Second Circuit confirms, Alina Habba is still very bad at her job. Links: White House Prayer Executive Order https://www.whitehouse.gov/america250/america-prays/ SCOTUS Shadow Docket Order Trump v. Slaughter https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/090825zr_4f15.pdf Second Circuit Order Carroll v. Trump 1 https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca2.e508a4b2-feae-4592-a6dc-d30f9ed35bb6/gov.uscourts.ca2.e508a4b2-feae-4592-a6dc-d30f9ed35bb6.134.1_1.pdf SCOTUS Docket Trump v. Vasquez Perdomo https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25a169.html White House "pocket rescission" announcement (Aug. 29, 2025) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/08/historic-pocket-rescission-package-eliminates-woke-weaponized-and-wasteful-spending/ AIDS Vaccine Coalition v. State https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277333/gov.uscourts.dcd.277333.145.0_4.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 5, 2025 • 56min
Ep 163 — Okay, Doomer
Newsmax is suing Fox News, and they've scored antitrust expert (lol) Judge Aileen Cannon. And while the Supreme Court is busy burning down the judiciary, trial judges are standing up. This week Judge Allison Burroughs of the District Court of Massachusetts ordered the Trump administration to give Harvard University its grant money back, and along the way reads SCOTUS conservatives for filth. And for subscribers: Why is the White House racing to appeal the tariff ruling when it could ride the stay for another eight months? Links: Newsmax v. Fox News https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71258079/newsmax-broadcasting-llc-v-fox-corporation L.G.M.L. v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71240524/lgml-v-noem Trump v. V.O.S. Selections [SCOTUS Docket] https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25-250.html V.O.S. Selections v. Trump [Federal Circuit Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70394463/vos-selections-inc-v-trump/?order_by=desc In rare interviews, federal judges criticize Supreme Court's handling of Trump cases https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-trump-cases-federal-judges-criticize-rcna221775 Harvard v. HHS [docket via CourtListener] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.283718/ NIH v. APHA (Supreme Court stay) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a103_kh7p.pdf Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 2, 2025 • 56min
Ep 162 — Court Blocks DHS Plot To Kidnap Migrant Children
Today on Law and Chaos … Trump's tariffs are illegal. A Judge named Sparkle just lit Kristi Noem on fire for trying to kidnap hundreds of Guatemalan children in the middle of the night. And Rudy Giuliani is getting the presidential medal of freedom. Plus, subscribers get a deep dive into all the ways the Department of Homeland Security is violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. Links: Res Ipsa Media v. DOJ https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71236135/res-ipsa-media-llc-v-department-of-justice/ X Corp v. Apple https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71236135/res-ipsa-media-llc-v-department-of-justice/ L.G.M.L v. Noem [docket via CourtListener] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.284360/gov.uscourts.dcd.284360.1.0_1.pdf VOS Selections, Inc. v. Trump [Federal Circuit docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70394463/vos-selections-inc-v-trump Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


