

Opening Arguments
Opening Arguments Media LLC
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!
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!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 18, 2023 • 1h 7min
OA821: Trump Gagged, Lindell Dragged & Jim Jordan... Can't Do Math?
Liz and Andrew break down the mechanics of the vote for Speaker of the House, explain the incredibly narrow gag order issued by Judge Chutkan in the DC insurrection case against Donald Trump, and finish with a hilarious story of how Mike Lindell can't keep his terrible lawyers. Notes Tweet re Hannity https://twitter.com/juliegraceb/status/1713694255841992765?s=46&t=-f7nMHlPqmL9yztYDAx_1g Jan 6th Committee Final Report https://www.jan-6.com/_files/ugd/acac13_ffa28ed6c2694272a265860e447122c7.pdf Lindell Eric Coomer Reply Supporting Plaintiff’s Motion for Sanctions https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cod.215068/gov.uscourts.cod.215068.210.0.pdf Written gag order Chutkan https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.105.0_2.pdf Powell Motion in Limine https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24032438/powell-motion-in-limine-on-legal-authority-issue.pdf -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

Oct 16, 2023 • 50min
OA820: Bad Judges, Bad Judges, Whatcha Gonna Do?
The podcast discusses topics such as the race for Speaker of the House, ongoing legal proceedings involving Donald Trump, the disconnect between Trump's PR strategy and legal strategy, the assault on the federal judiciary, Elon Musk's lawsuit, and controversial laws and biases in Florida.

Oct 13, 2023 • 56min
OA819: Trump's Participation Trophy
Liz and Andrew cover a bunch of stories, from the hapless Republican effort to find a Speaker of the House to this week at the Supreme Court & much, much more! -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

Oct 11, 2023 • 59min
OA818: Speaker of the House George Santos
Liz and Andrew tackle all the stories in the news, from the dysfunctional House of Representatives to the latest developments in Fulton County, Georgia. -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

Oct 9, 2023 • 57min
OA817: CIPA Schmeepa (feat. Kel McClanahan)
Liz and Andrew welcome back friend of the show Kel McClanahan to break down all of the national security developments in the Trump indictments. Find out what might be coming next in the document retention case.... -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

Oct 6, 2023 • 1h 7min
OA816: Oh, Rudy!
Liz and Andrew try to cover all the breaking news of the past two days, including Trump's civil and criminal trials, good news out of Alabama, and check out the tire tracks on Sidney Powell's back that seem to spell "Trump." Because it's Listener Friday, the duo answer a question about civil procedure and conflicts of laws that provides the perfect throughline to perhaps the dumbest Rudy Giuliani lawsuit yet. You won't want to miss it! Notes Trump MTD DC https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.74.0.pdf Sidney Powell MTD and general demurrer https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23994770/georgia-v-powell-demurrermotion-to-dismiss.pdf Judge Kaplan Order on Motion in Limine in Carroll III. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.543790/gov.uscourts.nysd.543790.217.0.pdf Trump-appointed US appeals judge calls social media 'dangerous' https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-appointed-us-appeals-judge-calls-social-media-dangerous-2023-10-03/ Giuliani’s Drinking, Long a Fraught Subject, Has Trump Prosecutors’ Attention https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-drinking.html -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

Oct 4, 2023 • 59min
OA815: Trump Gagged, McCarthy Bagged, & GOP Dragged
Today, Liz and Andrew tackle the two biggest stories: Matt Gaetz having ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, and Donald Trump’s civil trial in New York. All that AND an Andrew Was Wrong featuring more on the 14th Amendment. In the Patreon bonus, the two tackle a Liz Was Not Wrong about why Trump doesn’t have a jury trial in New York. Hint: yes you can still make fun of Alina Habba! Notes Justice Engoron Order https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=op8OyfqVHpc6eGTx9LOw3Q== OAG v. Trump appellate decision https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=ReQsiVyUL/PE7F5_PLUS_RuqoMw== CBS News story on Trump conceding to $27 million valuation for Mar-a-Lago https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/trump-mar-a-lago-1-8-billion-own-company-said-it-was-too-high/?espv=1 SCOTUS orders 10/2 https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/100223zor_5368.pdf Eastman petition for cert https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-1138/267263/20230519131455424_230516%20PWC%20corrected.pdf Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142 FC indictment https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23909542/23sc188947-criminal-indictment.pdf Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘Governor Newsom, Laphonza Butler, and the Constitution’s Plain Text,’ New Reform Club (Oct. 2, 2023, 3:54 PM), ; Josh Blackman & Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘Sweeping and Forcing the President into Section 3: A Response to William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen,’ 28(2) Tex. Rev. L. & Pol. (forth. circa Mar. 2024) (posted on: Sept. 12, 2023), . Is There A Constitutional Right to a Jury Trial of Equitable Defenses in New York?, 74 St. Johns L. Rev. 1 (2000) https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1421&context=lawreview -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

Oct 2, 2023 • 1h 10min
OA814: Kevin McCarthy Is An Ex-Speaker & Scott Hall Is An Ex-Defendant
Andrew and Liz explain the recent Congressional funding bill, what it means for the country (good things!) & what it means for Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (bad things). What's a motion to vacate? Listen and find out! Then, of course, the duo return to discuss all the recent developments in the RICO indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, including the plea deal by bail bondsman & former Donald Trump co-defendant Scott Hall. What does it all mean? We tell you! Notes Trump Fulton County docket https://www.fultonclerk.org/DocumentCenter/Index/142 FC indictment https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23909542/23sc188947-criminal-indictment.pdf -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

Sep 28, 2023 • 1h 3min
OA813: BREAKING - Trump Org Gets Death Penalty, Organs To Be Sold For Parts (feat. Mitchell Epner)
Liz and Andrew record a day early to discuss the breaking news out of state court in New York granting partial summary judgment to New York Attorney General Letitia James's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump, his kids, and his businesses over phony valuation statements. The upshot is that the Trump businesses will be dissolved as a matter of law. Mitchell Epner guests to help break down the nuances of New York law and procedure. It's not a criminal conviction, but it's a hell of a start! Notes Justice Engoron Order https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=op8OyfqVHpc6eGTx9LOw3Q== -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

Sep 27, 2023 • 1h 12min
OA812: Classified Information and Judge Aileen "Loose" Cannon (feat. Kel McClanahan)
Today, Andrew and Liz welcome back to the show National Security Counselor Kel McClanahan to break down a bunch of filings pursuant to the Classified Information Procedures Act, and tell us how to keep our eyes on Judge Cannon! Notes Chris Geidner "Law Dork" on the Fifth Circuit https://www.lawdork.com/p/fifth-circuit-adf-training-book-ban-social-media CIPA - Appendix 13 to Title 18 of the US Code https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18a/compiledact-96-456 Trump’s motion for CIPA Section 4 scheduling https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.160.0.pdf DOJ CIPA Section 3 Brief https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.162.0.pdf Nauta/DeOliveira CIPA Section 3 Brief https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654/gov.uscourts.flsd.648654.163.0.pdf DOJ CIPA Motion Under Seal in DC ( cover page) https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656604/59/1/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


