
Case in Point: The Legal Show on the Hottest Legal Cases in Politics and Culture
If the thought of a legal podcast makes you shy away and you’re tired of so-called “legal” experts talking in confusing legal jargon, you’ve come to the right place. The Heritage Foundation’s “Case in Point” talks about the hottest cases affecting politics, culture, and everyone’s daily lives in a way that lawyers and non-lawyers alike can understand.
Host Hans von Spakovsky may work in Washington, D.C., but he grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He hasn’t lost touch with his roots and hasn’t been captured by the Beltway Insiders. He understands the heart and soul of America, the everyday fol
Latest episodes

Jun 23, 2023 • 51min
The People's Justice — Judge Thapar on Justice Thomas
It's the second-to-last week of the term, and the Court handed down its big immigration case, United States v. Texas, another case involving Indian tribes, and cases involving murder-for-hire, a fantastical Russian financial fraud, and a scam to trick people into immigrating illegally. Your hosts discuss those cases, and then GianCarlo interviews Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar about his new book The People's Justice: Clarence Thomas and the Constitutional Stories that Define Him. Judge Thapar has some homework for listeners, so pay attention! Last up, Zack quizzes GianCarlo with trivia about unusual confirmations.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 16, 2023 • 18min
Tribes and Textualism
This week the Court handed down five opinions, two of which involved questions related to Indian Tribes, including one of the term's major cases, Haaland v. Brackeen. The decisions are heavy on textual analysis, showing that Justice Kagan was right when she said "we're all textualists now." Your hosts discuss the opinions, and then Zack tests GianCarlo's knowledge of some lesser-known facts about the Supreme Court's history.Further reading and listening:Professor Natelson on the Indian Child Welfare Act.Zack on Lac du Flambeau.Cully Stimson and Paul Larkin on Smith.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 9, 2023 • 48min
SCOTUS in Wonderland
Zack is out this week, so Cully Stimson is filling in. Cully and GianCarlo discuss the four opinions of the week, which include the Jack Daniels parody case and the race-based challenge to Alabama's congressional district maps. GianCarlo then interviews William Trachman, general counsel of Mountain States Legal Foundation, and the two talk about his career focusing on his work on civil rights and public schools. Last up, Cully takes Zack's place in the trivia hot-seat to answer questions about the Court's frequent citations to Alice's adventures in Wonderland. Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 2, 2023 • 42min
Judgment for Journalists
Four weeks to go in the term, and the Court handed down three opinions, which involved Medicare fraud, securities fraud, and labor union shenanigans. After your hosts discuss those opinions, Zack interviews veteran journalist James Rosen about his latest book Scalia: Rise to Greatness. James shares some of his best memories of the late Justice and shows what a debt he owed to his extraordinary wife, Maureen Scalia. After that, GianCarlo quizzes Zack with trivia about journalists at the Court.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 26, 2023 • 43min
Legal Thrillers
The Court handed down big decisions this week, all unanimous, including Sackett v. EPA and Tyler v. Hennepin County. After your hosts discuss those cases, GianCarlo interviews lawyer and novelist Chad Boudreaux. The two talk about his fascinating career and his latest legal thriller novel, Scavenger Hunt, which draws on Chad's unique knowledge of the inner workings of the Department of Justice. Last up, Zack quizzes GianCarlo with trivia about famous end-of-term opinions. Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 19, 2023 • 44min
Judicial Sass
This week the justices decided six more cases including those against Twitter and Google for allegedly aiding and abetting ISIS terrorists, and the copyright dispute over Andy Warhol's images of Prince. Zack interviews Judge Jennifer Perkins of the Arizona Arizona Court of Appeals. And, inspired by some serious judicial sass from Justice Kagan directed at Justice Sotomayor, GianCarlo selects other famous and funny cases featuring the justices at their sassiest.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 12, 2023 • 56min
Savin' the Bacon?
The opinions are coming fast now. This week the Court handed down five, dealing with immigration, wire fraud, the Puerto Rico Financial Oversight Board, and the famous bacon case. Did SCOTUS save the nation's bacon? Tune in to find out and to hear GianCarlo interview the fascinating Justice Caleb Stegall of the Kansas Supreme Court. Lastly, see if you can do better than GianCarlo at trivia about legendary Supreme Court rivalries.You can read Justice Stegall's resignation letter here, and his law review article, The Ethics of Decision-Making, here. Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 5, 2023 • 48min
Rehearing: Judge Raymond Randolph
In this Rehearings episode, we replay our interview with Judge Raymond Randolph. Rehearings airs our favorite old interviews on weeks when things are otherwise quiet at the Supreme Court.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 27, 2023 • 27min
Cases Made for the Movies
It has been a very busy few weeks for the Supreme Court. The Court enjoined a lower court order rescinding the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill. It heard oral arguments in a major religious liberty case, a case involving stalking and threats, and a case involving a made-for-movies story of fast cars, Beverly Hills mansions, and Russian fraudsters. The Court also handed down a few opinions including one that is sure to shake the administrative state. Your hosts discuss it all, and then GianCarlo quizzes Zack with trivia about the Court's historically slow pace.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 14, 2023 • 32min
Rehearing: Judge Lawrence VanDyke
In this Rehearings episode, we replay our interview with the Judge Lawrence VanDyke. Rehearings airs our favorite old interviews on weeks when things are otherwise quiet at the Supreme Court.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and @tzsmith. And please send questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes to scotus101@heritage.org.Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating.Stay caffeinated and opinionated with a SCOTUS 101 mug. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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