
Opening Arguments
Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith brings on legal analysts to help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas!
The typical schedule will be M-W-F with Monday being a deep-dive, Wednesday being Thomas Takes the Bar Exam and patron shoutouts, and Friday being a rapid response to legal issues in the news!
Latest episodes

Jun 10, 2024 • 58min
Hunter Biden's Trial Is Everything MAGA Thinks The Trump Trial Was
Guest Hunter Biden, involved in a federal trial for gun charges, compared to Trump's trial. Topics include judge controversies, legal intrigues, politics of prosecution, scrutiny on Hunter Biden, drug use legal analysis, political figures evading prosecution, Hunter Biden's gun shop records, and expressions of frustration and gratitude.

Jun 7, 2024 • 55min
Biden’s Border Action - An Objective, Nuanced Explainer
The podcast delves into Trump's delayed trial in Georgia for election interference. It also discusses Biden's border actions, asylum restrictions, and the political implications. Judge Easterbrook's strong opinions on fonts add a humorous twist to the episode.

Jun 5, 2024 • 45min
OA Bar Prep with Heather! T3BE27
OA's Official Bar Tutor returns! We've got the answer to Question 26, but with Heather's signature style where we're going to learn a whole lot along the way. Then, in Question 27, we've got some Constitutional Law! Be sure to play along by submitting your answer! Use #T3BE, or play on reddit.com/r/openargs!

Jun 3, 2024 • 55min
Supreme Court To Decide If Being Homeless Can Be A Crime
Vox Senior Correspondent Ian Millhiser discusses the Supreme Court case on criminalizing homelessness, exploring legal complexities, Eighth Amendment debates, and policy implications. The podcast delves into the Court's role in addressing societal issues and the need for legislative actions to combat housing shortages.

May 30, 2024 • 1h 13min
Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty Guilty and… GUILTY
OA1037 THE JURY IS IN! Opening Arguments is coming at you LIVE AND UNEDITED today as we react in realtime to the announcement of the verdict in People v. Trump--conveniently timed for exactly the time that we had already planned to record this week! We also take a look at the lengthy closing arguments from both sides and Matt answers patron questions about some of New York’s more unusual trial practices before getting into what we can expect next. We finish out the fun with Thomas’s dramatic reading of Samuel Alito’s indignant, mendacious, and entirely unsolicited response to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s demands to speak with the Supreme Court’s manager and take a moment to appreciate his full-throated defense of a woman’s absolute right to choose (flags). Jury instructions in People v. Trump People v. Owens, 69 N.Y.2d 585 (1987)(providing jury with written excerpt of jury instructions was reversible error) Alito’s letter to Senators Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse dated May 29, 2024

May 29, 2024 • 20min
OA Bar Prep with Heather! T3BE26
Heather is back for another bar question! Yay! Except... it's real property... NOOOOO We only do the question on this one, since we did both the Q and A last time. So, this is just a short little uncharged episode to get us back on track. It also allows me to catch up on Patron thanks! Note: two new Gavel Gavels are out, with more coming very, very soon! If you’d like to support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law!

May 27, 2024 • 55min
What an Alabama Judge Is Doing to Some LGBTQ Lawyers Is Horrifying and Needs a Spotlight
OA1036 Two great stories for you today - following OA1034 on how much Alito sucks, the Law Dork himself, Chris Geidner, is on to discuss the flag habits of Samuel Alito, as well as the exclusive story he broke regarding Alito’s stock activity immediately after Libs of TikTok called for a boycott against Bud Light because…transphobia. After we vent about Alito for a bit, Chris walks us through what an Alabama judge threatened to do to a group of LGBTQ+ lawyers and it’s even worse than you could imagine. Be sure to follow Chris (@chrisgeidner/@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) and subscribe to his Substack to support independent legal journalism! Law Dork's coverage of Judge Liles Burke's orders out of the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama If you’d like to support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law!

May 26, 2024 • 1h 13min
Law School Doesn't Have to Suck
T3BE 25 I am pleased to introduce you all to Heather Varanini! In her role as Director of Academic Achievement, Heather spends her days helping students succeed in law school and prepare for the Bar. She's onboard to serve as the Official Opening Arguments Bar Tutor and teach us a lot along the way! In this episode we'll hear more about her journey and the values that she brings to her work; for this week, we do a full Bar Question and Answer to give a sense of what we're in for with her! The traditional staggered Q&A will commence next time!

May 24, 2024 • 55min
Benjamin Netanyahu: International Fugitive?
Benjamin Netanyahu, an international figure with legal controversies, is discussed in the podcast. Topics include ICC arrest warrants for leaders of Hamas and Israel, jurisdiction challenges, and implications for global justice. The podcast also covers consumer dissatisfaction with Reese's Halloween snacks and the importance of fair compensation in settlements.

May 20, 2024 • 1h 10min
Why Is Alito Like This
Exploring Justice Alito's controversial evolution from a Reagan/Buckley conservative to an ultra-right Trump/Scalia conservative who ended abortion rights. Delving into Alito's 1985 memo on overturning Roe v. Wade and the strip search case dissent. Analyzing legal liabilities of stocking a private lake with piranhas. Reflecting on Rudy Giuliani's downfall, Alito's legal history, and the multifaceted consequences of his judicial decisions.