
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

Jul 1, 2022 • 27min
The End of the Term
We've reached the end of the term after a blockbuster month and an incredibly full week of orders and opinions. Your hosts wish farewell to Justice Breyer who is now officially retired and welcome Justice Ketanji Jackson. This week the Court decided all of its remaining cases including West Virginia v. EPA, a challenge to a power grab by the Environmental Protection Agency, Biden v. Texas, a challenge to Biden's attempt to cancel the Remain-in-Mexico policy, and Kennedy v. Bremerton School district, which involved a school coach who was fired for praying privately after games. Your hosts discuss these and more. Of course, no term could conclude without GianCarlo trying to stump Zack with trivia, and this week it's all about interesting statistics about this term.See you after the summer hiatus!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 24, 2022 • 47min
Overruling Roe
The Court continued to release opinions at a frenzied pace this week. While GianCarlo enjoys some well-deserved R&R, the Meese Center's Director, John Malcolm, joins Zack to break down everything that's happening at the Court, including the release of an important religious liberty/school choice case, an important second amendment case, and, of course, Dobbs. Zack then interviews Ohio Solicitor General Ben Flowers. Last up, Zack puts John in the hot seat to try his hand at some Supreme Court-themed vacation trivia.Here's a link to the fellowship Ben and Zack discuss: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Careers/Internship-Opportunities/The-Simon-Karas-Fellowship 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, 2022 • 49min
The SCOTUS Numbers Game
The floodgates opened this week, and the Court gave us eleven opinions. Given time constraints, your hosts discuss a few of the most interesting ones, including two Indian Law cases and a big Chevron deference case that did not mention Chevron. GianCarlo then interviews District Judge Patrick Wyrick of Oklahoma. Last up, GianCarlo tries to stump Zack with trivia about the Supreme Court's end-of-term opinion bonanza. Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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, 2022 • 46min
Protecting the Justices
This week a man angry about the leaked Dobbs opinion showed up to Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home with a gun, a knife, burglary tools, and the intent to kill the Justice. Despite this, to the Justices' credit, they are working just as hard as ever resolving orders and issuing four opinions. You hosts discuss the assassination attempt, talk about noteworthy orders, and unpack those opinions. Zack also interviews Supreme Court advocate Morgan Ratner, who clerked for both Kavanaugh and the Chief Justice. Finally, curious about whether other Justices have been similarly targeted, your hosts look at the history of attacks against them.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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, 2022 • 41min
Cruzin' to Victory
Despite some rumors that we might get the Dobbs opinion this week, we did not. We did, however, get opinions in an immigration case and in Senator Ted Cruz's challenge to an election rule that limited a candidate's ability to recover money loaned to his own campaign. Zack and GianCarlo unpack those cases in addition to the new cases that the Court took up this week. Zack then interviews Georgia Supreme Court Justice Nels Peterson. After that, GianCarlo grills Zack with trivia about sitting members of Congress who have served as Supreme Court clerks. Tune in to learn which Justice plays matchmaker on the side.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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 15, 2022 • 39min
BONUS: Mark Paoletta on The Kevin Roberts Show
Today on "SCOTUS 101," we are featuring the latest episode of "The Kevin Roberts Show" a sister podcast on the Heritage Podcast Network. Subscribe to The Kevin Roberts Show1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kevin-roberts-show/id1609468507The left is hell-bent on tearing down our institutions. Their current target? The Supreme Court.In recent days, we’ve watched them invade neighborhoods across the Washington, D.C., area to demonstrate and protest at the residences of justices. They call them enemies of democracy and, ultimately, the American people.Mark Paoletta is an attorney, author, and personal friend of Justice Clarence Thomas. Under President George H.W. Bush, he played a pivotal role in his confirmation.Opening up on his personal relationship with Thomas, Paoletta offers a redeeming glimpse at a public servant the left has unceasingly attempted to vilify. We’ll discuss that, the exciting new book he’s co-authoring, “Created Equal,” and more on this week’s episode of The Kevin Roberts Show.Show notes:The leaked draft opinion from Justice Alito: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000180-874f-dd36-a38c-c74f98520000 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 6, 2022 • 37min
The Dobbs Leak
This week saw the biggest leak in Supreme Court history: a leaked opinion. And not just any opinion, but an early draft of a purported majority decision in the Dobbs case, which would, if issued, overrule Roe v. Wade and return abortion policy to the people of each state. Zack and GianCarlo chat about the leak, what it means for the Court, and what ought to happen to the leaker. They also discuss all the other news that was drowned out by the leak including the memorial service for Justice John Paul Stevens and a major First Amendment opinion issued this week. GianCarlo then interviews Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and they talk about her career and her legal strategy in Dobbs. Finally, Zack quizzes GianCarlo about Justice Stevens' life and career.Here's a link to Zack and John Malcolm's article about whether the leaker can be criminally prosecuted.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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 29, 2022 • 31min
All Aboard the SCOTUS Express
This was the final week of oral arguments of the term and also the final oral arguments for Justice Breyer. Your hosts discuss a kind tribute that the Chief Justice gave to his retiring colleague, new cert grants, and some of this week's high-profile arguments. They also discuss the two decisions of the week and what happens when the court splits 4-4 on a case. GianCarlo then interviews Supreme Court advocate Sarah Harris, and the two talk about her interesting path to the law, which includes years spent studying a clandestine CIA program. Sarah also shares wonderful stories from her clerkships for Judge Sandra Lynch, Judge Laurence Silberman, and Justice Thomas. Finally, with a bunch of railroad cases on the Court's docket, GianCarlo tries to stump Zack with trivia about the Court's most famous (and infamous) train cases.Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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 21, 2022 • 48min
How Fares Religious Liberty?
We are entering the final stretch of the term, and from here on out, opinions are likely to come fast. This week sets the pace with six opinions on free speech, tax, habeas corpus, and other issues. Your hosts explain them all and give a preview of next week's high profile oral arguments. Zack then interviews Kelly Shackelford, the President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, and the two talk about the current and future state of religious liberty at the Supreme Court. Zack then tries to stump GianCarlo with trivia about justices born in April.This is your last chance to fill out our audience survey to let us know how we can improve the show!Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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 1, 2022 • 29min
The Bacon Case
While Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation process wends through the Senate, the Court is keeping up a fast pace of orders, arguments, and opinions. Your hosts discuss those, including one particularly exciting new case that GianCarlo has dubbed "The Bacon Case." Your hosts then jointly interview Ilya Shapiro to review Judge Jackson's hearings. With bacon on the mind, GianCarlo tries to fry Zack with some breakfast-at-SCOTUS trivia. You can find Ilya's excellent book about judicial confirmations here, and GianCarlo's previous interview with him about it here.As mentioned in the episode, we'd greatly appreciate if you filled out a short survey to let us know how we can improve the show!Follow us on Twitter @scotus101 and 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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