Boom! Lawyered

Boom! Lawyered

Every week, Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy take you on a wild ride through the latest legal battles in the fight for reproductive justice. On everything from abortion rights to trans discrimination to racial justice, Boom! Lawyered will help you get smart, stay mad, have fun, and fight back. Produced by Rewire News Group.

Episodes

December 18, 2025 34 mins

Imani Gandy interviews Portia Burch about what it means to get through the holidays when you don’t love them. Together, they talk about companionship, Black joy without the performance or obligation, and building a season that feels steadier and more survivable.

 

Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our ...

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The Supreme Court heard arguments this week in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that could greatly expand the scope of presidential power. Imani and Jess are off this week but decided to republish this episode from September that explains why they believe we’re living through a “Deconstruction era”—think Reconstruction era, but in reverse—and what that means for our public institutions and the rule of law.

 

Expert repro journalism that in...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess break down HB 7, a Texas law that attacks medication abortion and could set the stage for a nationwide abortion ban. They also discuss how the legislation, which went into effect on Dec. 4, 2025, incentivizes community members to snitch on one another using financial rewards. 

Expert Repro Journalism that Inspires.

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth....

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Imani Gandy interviews actor Judy Reyes about the handling of immigration policy in Trump 2.0, what she learned playing an immigration lawyer on TV, and why storytelling cuts through political nonsense in ways policy and punditry never will. They also discuss the importance of community, culture, and what it means to stay human in a country determined to see you as anything but—plus a little ‘Scrubs’ reboot gossip for longtime fans...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered Imani and Jess answer audience questions on everything from threats to same-sex marriage, how to reform the federal courts, and what should be kept and what should be scrapped if we rewrote the constitution.

Expert Repro Journalism that Inspires

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts, chip in to keep ...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani has the week off, so Jess is joined by President and CEO of Democracy Forward Skye Perryman to talk about fighting the Trump administration in court and how building community is the antidote to authoritarian rule. 

Expert Repro Journalism that Inspires. 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts,...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess discuss a new school launched in Colorado that’s designed to erase the separation of church and state in public education. They also explain why the conservative legal movement could finally succeed in getting taxpayers to fund religious schools. 

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our cour...

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The Constitution isn’t sacred—it’s a sham that pretends to be about equality but actually only benefits white men in power. Imani Gandy talks with best-selling author Elie Mystal about why the Constitution has never worked for Black people, how the Supreme Court weaponizes it to strip people of their rights, and what it would look like to scrap it and start over.

Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.

Episodes like this take time, re...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess are joined by Jodi Hicks, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California to unpack the redistricting fight between California and Texas and explain why the battle of the maps is a reproductive justice issue.

 

Expert Repro Journalism that Inspires. 

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at...

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October 9, 2025 31 mins

In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess explain the arguments and what's at stake in Chiles v. Salazar, the case challenging Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy practices.

 

Expert repro journalism that inspires.

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts, chip in to keep our fearless legal analysis alive. Become a supporter to...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess preview the upcoming Supreme Court term, including a challenge to conversion therapy bans, protections for transgender student athletes, and more.

 

Expert repro journalism that inspires.

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts, chip in to keep our fearless legal analysis alive. Become ...

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Turns out the closet wasn’t locked—it was glass all along. Sometimes you just can’t see your way out. 

Imani Gandy talks with comedian, actor, and writer Franchesca Ramsey about coming out later in life, visibility, and the joy of saying, "Surprise, bitch, I’m gay." They also discuss how comedy can be an opening for tougher conversations about race.

 

Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.

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Expert repro journalism that inspires

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September 18, 2025 27 mins

Boom! Lawyered is back for its ninth season! In this episode, Imani and Jess explain why they believe we’re living through a “Deconstruction era”—think Reconstruction era, but in reverse—and what that means for our public institutions and the rule of law.  

Expert repro journalism that inspires

 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts,...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered Summer Session, Imani and Jess unpack the current landscape of the federal courts and what the conservative capture of the judiciary means for fighting President Donald Trump’s authoritarian agenda. They are joined by Alliance for Justice President Rachel Rossi, who highlights dangerous new Trump appointees and explains how progressives can win back the federal courts —yes, really.

 

Expert repro jou...

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 In this episode of Boom! Lawyered Summer Session, Imani and Jess dig into the Republican efforts to strip federal funding from Planned Parenthood clinics and explain how it fits with their larger attacks on health care and Medicaid. They are joined by Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, who explains the day-to-day impact of these attacks and how to find joy in the fight ahead.  

Exp...

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In this episode of Boom! Lawyered Summer Session, Imani and Jess dive into the attacks on birthright citizenship and unpack the absurd constitutional arguments conservatives are making to advance these attacks. They are joined by Lourdes Rivera, president of Pregnancy Justice, who connects birthright citizenship to the movement to establish legal personhood rights for fertilized eggs, zygotes, and fetuses. Rivera also explains how ...

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Boom! Lawyered Summer Session is back—and now we’re on video, too! In this season opener, University of Texas Law Professor Elizabeth Sepper joins Imani and Jess to unpack big changes in the relationship between religion and government ushered in by the Roberts Court. 

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts, chip in to keep our fearl...

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July 3, 2025 33 mins

On June 27, the Supreme Court wrapped up its extraordinarily consequential, controversial, and, at times, surprising term. Imani and Jess break down the best and worst of the 2024-2025 opinions, and what it could mean for the future of the nation. All that and… alligators? Tune into the final episode of this season of Boom! Lawyered.

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you u...

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Chief Justice John Roberts contorted logic to find a path for Tennessee to enforce its anti-trans law, while Justice Amy Coney Barrett left breadcrumbs for conservatives to lodge future attacks on trans rights. In this week's episode, Imani and Jess break down this devastating decision and more.

Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts...

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