Advisory Opinions
Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.
Episodes
August 14, 2025 • 59 mins
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joins Sarah Isgur and David French to give advice to all young attorneys and aspiring legal professionals. Plus: some war stories from Trump Force One.
The Agenda:—Frenemies—Christie’s time as a U.S. attorney—The difference between a podium and a lectern—No class reunions at the White House—We’ve all crashed out at some point—‘I’m not a potted plant’—Should Christie wear make-up?—VeggieTales a...
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August 12, 2025 • 58 mins
Akhil Amar, Sterling Professor of law and political science at Yale, joins Sarah and David for a deep dive into the constitutional battles and amendments that ended slavery, offering a preview of his forthcoming book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840–1920.
The Agenda:—Exploring originalism and American identity—Our canonical texts—The Second Amendment and originalism—The evolution of constitutional interpretation—...
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August 7, 2025 • 65 mins
J. Joel Alicea, professor at Catholic University's Columbus School of Law, joins Sarah Isgur and David French to discuss race-conscious redistricting. Then, they viciously attack Professor Alicea for thinking text, history, and tradition right.
The Agenda:—Congressional acquiescence—Louisiana v. Callais—On questions presented—Bruen Was Right by J. Joel Alicea—The three eras of originalism—Listener email: Has Bruen made any babies?...
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August 5, 2025 • 72 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French are joined by Miriam Ingber, associate dean of admissions & financial aid at Yale Law School, and Kristi Jobson, dean of admissions at Harvard Law School, to discuss what they’re looking for in applicants.
The Agenda:—Who even reviews applications these days?—The influx of applications—AI applications—Up in arms about the LSAT—The role of accommodations—Financial aid decisions
Show Notes:—Ingber and J...
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July 31, 2025 • 65 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French break down a few 9th Circuit cases, including one on gender ideology and free speech rights. Plus, a super sexy snippet on state standing.
The Agenda:—First Amendment and foster parents—15 minutes to buy a gun—No background checks for ammunition—Lower courts struggle with text, history and tradition—The hot mess of state standing—What heavy metal band is each Supreme Court justice?—The great profession...
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July 29, 2025 • 67 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French discuss how Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is attempting to get out of jail on a technicality. Could a deal with the Department of Justice involving Epstein extend to her?
Agenda:—Ghislaine’s team identifies a circuit split—MAGA and the Epstein list—189 days of lawlessness on the TikTok ban—The emergency docket is a mess—Justice Elena Kagan's dissent and the precedential value of i...
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July 24, 2025 • 61 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French discuss Alina Habba’s removal as U.S. attorney pick and the one consistent position of the Trump administration: We get to do what we want.
—Scrutinizing the Vacancies Reform Act—Friendly vs. hostile U.S. Senates—Good luck to the criminals in the Northern District of New Jersey—Listener question: change the vesting clause?—Second Circuit issues decision on remand for Nat’l Rifle Ass’n of Am. v. Vullo.—...
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July 22, 2025 • 68 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the use of autopens as a permission structure and David’s Very Big Problems with technology and the pardon power.
—What is an autopen?—The problems with David’s problems—Buckets of pardons—Day 182 of ignoring the TikTok law—Dispensing power vs. autopen power—Bullying our way to cultural victory—Mandatory reporting and Catholic priests—Responding to Supreme Court clerks—TL;DR concurrence
Show N...
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July 17, 2025 • 80 mins
Sarah Isgur, David French, and Kannon Shanmugam again reunite for the annual Paul, Weiss summer associate live recording. The three discuss Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s mysterious jurisprudence, political pressure on the Supreme Court bench, and firmly bound, braggadocious briefs.Plus: billable hours, a (not) blockbuster term, and Sarah’s insecurity over Texas’ quaint size.
The Agenda:—The Biter and Aqua Girl—Trump v. Casa, i...
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July 15, 2025 • 77 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French, live from the FIRE Student Network Summer Conference, discuss free speech in non-profits and schools before Sarah takes listeners through the history of Citizens United. Before the youth bring their questions, Sarah and David talk Clinton documentaries and how campaign financing could be a little better.
The Agenda:—Can 501(c)3’s endorse a candidate?—No “false” pronouns in Florida classrooms—The pai...
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July 10, 2025 • 51 mins
Sarah Isgur returns to her home state of Texas to join a panel of leading constitutional scholars for a deep dive into the most significant Supreme Court decisions of the term. Alongside experts Jonathan Adler, Daniel Epps, and Frederick Lawrence, she examines key cases and explores the growing influence of politicians and the media on how the court is viewed by the public.
The Agenda:—Is there a play in the joints between religio...
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July 8, 2025 • 68 mins
Could a parental consent law finally be headed to the Supreme Court? Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas recently declined to take up a case—but their silence may be saying more than a firm “no.”
—Camp Mystic tragedy in Texas—Denial of cert on a case involving minors and abortion—We can't send people to get tortured, even if they're criminals—First Amendment rights and government speech—LA COVID evictions—Not the most sympat...
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July 3, 2025 • 61 mins
Pardon our legal nerd-out as Sarah Isgur, David French, Amy Howe, David Lat, and Zachary Shemtob—our dream team of SCOTUSBloggers and Advisory Opinions hosts—break down the biggest moments from the Supreme Court’s term.
What made this term so mellow? Which rulings came out of left field? And is Justice Jackson the Supreme Court’s breakout star?
The Agenda:—Mellow vibes all around—Emergency Docket vs. Merits Docket—Cert petition s...
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July 1, 2025 • 83 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French break down the biggest takeaways from the Supreme Court’s latest term using SCOTUSblog’s stat pack as their guide. They also explain the outcomes in the Texas explicit content case and the “pride puppy” case.
The Agenda:—OT25 in review—The most influential justice—What makes a case “important”—Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton—Explaining tiers of scrutiny—The pride puppy case—Curriculum opt-outs—...
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June 27, 2025 • 76 mins
Divided Argument hosts Daniel Epps and William Baude join Sarah Isgur to unpack the Supreme Court’s decision (ahem, non-decision) on birthright citizenship. Plus: a little showdown between two justices.
The Agenda:—What the Supreme Court did NOT decide—What the Court DID decide—Similarities to Marbury v. Madison,Loper Bright, and Chevron—Justice Amy Coney Barrett v. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—Judicial supremacy?—Sir, this is no...
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June 26, 2025 • 61 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French face the muddiness of a case on moving criminal aliens to South Sudan, the messiness of death penalty cases, and the potential abortion distortion of a plain ol’ statutory question. Today’s dessert, though, is analyzing an interview of Justice Samuel Alito by the Hoover Institution.
The Agenda:—Mark Justice Clarence Thomas off your bingo card—Supreme Court’s yellow light for moving criminal aliens to t...
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June 24, 2025 • 65 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French cover two less-exhilarating Supreme Court decisions (faxes, anyone?) and re-visit the Skrmetti decision. It’s four decisions from the district courts, though, that really steal the show.
The Agenda:—TikTok ban ticks on—Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA—McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates, Inc. v. McKesson Corp.—What constitutes gender dysphoria?—Free expression in the spa?—Supreme Court won’t bother wit...
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June 19, 2025 • 66 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French break down the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to uphold Tennessee’s law that bans transgender medical intervention for minors. It’s about age, not sex.
The Agenda:—Banning TikTok—Trump defies Congress—Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatment for transgender minors—Queasy about judge-made doctrines—The girls are fighting—Just call it cert
Show Notes:—Jack Goldsmith on Iran
This episode is brought to...
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June 17, 2025 • 81 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French break down Israel’s latest strikes on Iran and the legal questions surrounding them. Was it a justifiable preemptive move, a murky act of prevention, or simply part of an already ongoing war?
The Agenda:—Hypotheticals and lawful acts of war—The role of international law—Iran’s response—Trump’s national guard deployment—Raiding Los Angeles—Wrong, wrongy wrong, McWronger face—Time for some role play—Just...
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June 12, 2025 • 61 mins
Sarah Isgur and David French check the temperature on Thursday’s Supreme Court hand downs (cold term, anyone?), diving into a case where federal agents raided the wrong house.
The Agenda:—Death penalty stuff and successive habeas petitions—Gorsuch the libertarian—FBI raid gone wrong—Explaining the Federal Tort Claims Act and Bivens—Conspiracy theory time—Associated Press and their access to press—We’re all ‘cranckpots’ —Is yoga pr...
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