Opening Arguments

Liz and Andrew welcome back Mitchell Epner to explain exactly what happened with the Sam Bankman-Fried trial. Notes SBF Superseding indictment https://www.justice.gov/media/1311286/dl?inline= -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew break down a ruling that was surprising to many - Judge Aileen Cannon, FSW, denying Trump's motion to postpone his trial. What does it really mean? Listen and find out!   Then, the two break down Trump's litigation strategy (if you can call it that) in the E. Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit.   In the Patreon bonus, the two discuss Donald Trump's plan to save America from sliding into authoritarianism!   Notes Be sure to sign up for Liz's substack!     Marcy Wheeler on Trump production https://www.emptywheel.net/2023/10/29/the-piles-of-chris-kise-bullshit-devlin-barrett-claims-to-believe/   -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew break down Donald Trump's testimony in the New York civil investigation. Then, Andrew welcomes back Joe Dye to talk about Tuesday's election results. You won't want to miss it!   Notes Engoron PSJ order https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24120504-engoron-decision-sept-2023 -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Today, Liz and Andrew welcome back Kel McClanahan to break down recent Classified Information Procedures Act ("CIPA") rulings in Donald Trump's cases in DC and Florida. What does it portend? Listen and find out! Notes Trump DC docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/ Trump SDFL docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67490069/united-states-v-trump/ -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew catch you up on all of Trump's travails, from the civil investigation in New York to the two federal cases in DC and Florida. Oh, and we also learn more about Halloween from our listeners! Notes Trump DC docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/ Trump SDFL docket https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67490069/united-states-v-trump/ SDFL superseding indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.85.0_4.pdf Marcy Wheeler on Trump production https://www.emptywheel.net/2023/10/29/the-piles-of-chris-kise-bullshit-devlin-barrett-claims-to-believe/ Jencks Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3500. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3500 Underwear ATL https://abovethelaw.com/2022/09/florida-federal-court-using-underwear-shop-for-phone-storage-is-most-florida-thing-ever/ -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

In an entirely Trump-free show, Liz and Andrew break down the law of Halloween! Is it illegal to be a witch? Do you have to disclose your house is haunted before selling it? Can you sue Satan? And much, much more! NotesCharles West, Pope Leo of Bourges, Clerical Immunity and the Early Medieval Secular, in Early Medieval Europe (2021) https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/169821/1/Pope%20Leo%20of%20Bourges%2C%20clerical%20immunity%20and%20the%20early%20medieval%20secular.pdf Constitutions of Clarendon, 1164 https://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/constcla.asp Mullaney v. Wilbur, 421 U.S. 684 (1975) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1049931246973296361 Stambovsky v. Ackley https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3290684836490834623 Mayo v Satan https://casetext.com/case/united-states-ex-rel-gerald-mayo-v-satan-and-his-staff 2016 US News article on Creepy Clown Sightings https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2016-10-31/floridians-arm-themselves-against-creepy-clowns-on-halloween?context=amp Richard Ellis says he represented the seller https://www.ellissothebysrealty.com/blog/2016/10/31/haunted-house-the-legend-of-1-la-veta-place-nyack/ VA Beach 23-3 https://library.municode.com/va/virginia_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CO_CH23OF_ARTIMIOF_S23-3PRTRTRAC Forsyth, IL 94-155 https://forsyth-il.gov/vertical/sites/%7B18717005-44FD-438D-B0BC-B86101984F4F%7D/uploads/Master_Copy.pdf Alabama can’t dress like clergy https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2020/title-13a/chapter-14/section-13a-14-4/ Hollywood silly string ordinance https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2004/04-0772_ORD_176176_10-06-2004.pdf Fortune-telling in SF https://www.loweringthebar.net/2006/08/fortunetelling_.html Fortune-telling New Orleans https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH54CRCO_ARTVIOFAFPUGE OA 648 https://openargs.com/oa648-more-from-the-right-wing-war-on-free-speech/ -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew tackle two stories. In the A segment, the duo discuss Trump's civil trial in New York and his (so far unsuccessful) efforts to block the gag order entered against him in federal court in DC. Then they break down a case headed for oral argument at the Supreme Court in a few days, Vidal v. Elster, which presents the unfortunately timely question of whether someone can trademark a joke about Donald Trump's... hands (without his permission).   SHOW NOTES Trump DC docket https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148 Trump Reply Sup Stay of Gag Order https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148.123.0_3.pdf Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada, 501 U.S. 1030 (1991) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12991687764638238096 In re Brunetti https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=14505087584960254163 15 USC § 1052 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1052 Vidal v. Elster petitioner’s brief https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-704/272918/20230725195926740_22-704tsUnitedStates.pdf Vidal v. Elster opposition brief https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-704/278867/20230905184138600_Elster%20Merits%20Brief.pdf OA 165 https://openargs.com/oa165-you-heard-it-here-first-abortion-rights-gun-control-and-offensive-trademarks/   -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew tackle two stories today. First, they break down exactly what is going on with Trump's various gag orders and his behavior in court in New York. Then, it's time for a classic deep dive about qui tam actions and how they've been hijacked with the help of possibly Trump's worst judicial appointment and weaponized against women. It's a story you need to know. In the Patreon bonus, the duo compare and contrast legal ethics between George Santos and Donald Trump and come out in favor of... George Santos??!? You heard us! Notes Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142   False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Subchapter III https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-37/subchapter-III   31 U.S.C. § 3730 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3730   Doe v. PP Complaint https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.343972/gov.uscourts.txnd.343972.2.0_5.pdf   Kacsmaryk 2022 Order denying Motion to Dismiss https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.343972/gov.uscourts.txnd.343972.71.0.pdf   George Santos Superseding Indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086.50.0_1.pdf   DOJ Conflicts motion- George Santos / Joseph Murray https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086/gov.uscourts.nyed.497086.51.0_2.pdf   Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada, 501 US 1030 (1991) https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12991687764638238096 -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com

Liz and Andrew urge caution on some breaking news stories, including the ABC report that Mark Meadows has "flipped." Then, the duo tackle the Jenna Ellis plea in Fulton County, GA and a barrage of bizarre filings by Donald Trump in his federal case in DC. In the Patreon Bonus, Liz and Andrew analyze Jenna Ellis's legal advice as to how to steal the 2020 Election. Notes Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142 Jenna Ellis plea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu7uzRFDpTY Jenna Ellis original Fulton County indictment https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/View/2108/CRIMINAL-INDICTMENT Jenna Ellis superseding Accusation https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24079495/criminal-accusation-for-ellis-102423.pdf Jenna Ellis sparklemagic law memos! https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000017d-a4d0-dac5-abff-a5ddcf600000 OCGA 16-10-1 https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2022/title-16/chapter-10/article-1/section-16-10-1/ OCGA § 16-10-20 https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2022/title-16/chapter-10/article-2/section-16-10-20/ Raffensperger letter https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/Letter_to_Congress_from_Secretary_Raffensperger_%281-6-21%29.pdf Trump DC Indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_7.pdf 113 - MTD on Constitutional Grounds https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.113.0_1.pdf 114 - MTD on Statutory Grounds https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.114.0_2.pdf 115 - Motion to Strike https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.115.0.pdf 116 - MTD for Selective and Vindictive Prosecution https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.116.0_1.pdf

Liz and Andrew cover two main stories: (1) the plea bargain agreed to by Ken Cheseboro in Fulton County, Georgia, and (2) the ruling out of bankruptcy court that certain debts are "non-dischargeable in bankruptcy." What does that mean? Listen and find out! In the Patreon bonus, Andrew and Liz deep dive into the specific jury instructions and more to figure out why the results were different for similar plaintiffs in Texas. Notes Heslin v. Jones, Docket via Court Listener https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66982798/heslin-v-jones/ Wheeler v. Jones, Docket via Court Listener https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66983329/wheeler-v-jones/ 11 U.S. Code § 523 - Exceptions to discharge https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/11/523 The Federalist, “Sidney Powell’s Plea Proves Fulton County Prosecutor Went Nuclear To Get Trump” https://thefederalist.com/2023/10/20/sidney-powells-plea-proves-fulton-county-prosecutor-went-nuclear-to-get-trump/ Justice Engoron Gag Order  https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=jHhVNANx9_PLUS_/cjyUwT3y0zw== US v. Trump SDFL Docket via Court Listener https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67490069/united-states-v-trump/ US v. Trump DDC Docket via Court Listener https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/united-states-v-trump/?order_by=desc -Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter:  @Openargs -Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed!  @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com