Law Talk With Epstein, Yoo & Cooke

Trump's legal troubles, Biden's executive power controversy, Supreme Court case on administrative state, half-million dollar signing bonuses for former Supreme Court clerks, and an In-N-Out update from John

In this episode, the professors discuss the legacy of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, tensions in Gaza, Trump's legal drama, and the implications of Second Amendment rights in gun control cases. They also banter about Thanksgiving dinner items and debate the least valuable dish on the Thanksgiving table.

Professors discuss the war in Gaza, free speech on university campuses, democracy promotion in illiberal countries, disqualification clause for the 4th Amendment, American currency bills, and the debate over ethics codes for the Supreme Court.

Professors Epstein and Yoo answer listener questions, exploring the possibility of a president serving from prison, the state of abortion law post-Dobbs case, the influence of writing skills on Supreme Court justices, the impact of Trump on the Supreme Court, and the importance of Gias's Institutes in understanding Roman law.

Professors Richard Epstein and John Yoo discuss the legal controversies surrounding Donald Trump and Joe Biden. They delve into the cases facing Trump in Georgia, Florida, D.C., and Manhattan, as well as the elusive case of Hunter Biden. They analyze the misapplications of forgery and impersonation charges, debate indicting a former president, and raise concerns about the integrity of Hunter Biden's plea bargain. The professors also explore the legal challenges and vulnerabilities of Trump and Biden for the 2024 election.

The Supreme Court ended its most recent term with a bang, and that’s also how Professors Richard Epstein and John Yoo are starting this review of the biggest decisions. There’s a split in the faculty lounge over the wisdom of the Court’s affirmative action ruling and we’ll let you decide who gets the better of the argument. Then we move on to the Court’s smackdown of the Biden Administration’s student loan relief plan and the latest in a long string of cases regarding how and whether free speech rights apply in an anti-discrimination context (yes, it’s Colorado … again). Finally, because we don’t want you to think Law Talk has lost its edge we tee up the most important legal question of 2023: Can a bear violate your Fourth Amendment rights?

It’s graduation season in the faculty lounge, but Professors Richard Epstein and John Yoo are still hard at work. In this month’s installment: What does the Durham report say about the future of the FBI? Should Daniel Penny stand trial for the headlock that ended Jordan Neely’s life? What explains the bizarre alliances behind the Supreme Court’s decision to let California control how the nation’s pigs are raised? And can Baltimore really sue automakers for making cars too easy to steal? Plus Epstein visits South America, Yoo ruins a graduation ceremony, and Senik gracelessly declines into middle age.

We’re breaking out birthday candles as one of the professors celebrates a milestone birthday. Once the festivities (which somehow devolve into a conversation about medical innovation) conclude, Professors Epstein and Yoo are on to the topics at hand: Was Fox News right to settle with Dominion? Does America need tougher defamation laws? Is Clarence Thomas’s relationship with Harlan Crow a troubling indiscretion on behalf of a Supreme Court justice or a case of activist journalism run amok? What will happen with the controversial rulings about abortion drugs? And did Disney outsmart Ron DeSantis — and why does the answer to that question involve King Charles? All that and more in a jam-packed hour in the faculty lounge.

The indictment of Donald J. Trump was unsealed to an almost universally negative reaction—even those who want to see him behind bars. How likely is the case to be dropped before going to trial? What jurisdiction does the DA claim to have? To what standard should an indictment of a former president be held? And has Donald Trump forfeited his right to argue the justice system has been politicized?

We may be nearing spring break, but Professors Richard Epstein and John Yoo are still focused on the campus. First, there’s the matter of President Biden’s student loan plan: will a Supreme Court challenge to the policy falter on standing grounds? And is the Court’s newfound skepticism towards executive power as cynical as the media suggests? Then, there’s the issue of reforming higher ed. What’s to be done with disruptive students like the ones who shut down a recent Federalist Society event at Stanford? And is it time to rethink tenure for professors? Several states think so. All that, plus the professors dive into the controversy over Silicon Valley Bank and weigh in (some with more enthusiasm than others) on America’s finest regional cuisine.