With oral arguments over and the term on the home stretch, the Court is issuing opinions at high speed. But before they issued this week’s opinions, the Justices threw a curve-ball at court watchers by taking Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a major abortion case that could see the court overturn or rein in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Your hosts discuss that case and the four opinions handed down this week. Among them, two major criminal procedure cases, one civil procedure case, and a stinging rebuke to the IRS for engaging in administrative shenanigans. Zack interviews Judge Randolph of the D.C. Circuit who shares a wealth of fascinating stories about his career and his many friends from the Circuit who went on to SCOTUS. Lastly, GianCarlo grills Zack with trivia about judicial attire.

It’s full steam ahead as the Court finishes up its second-to-last week of oral arguments for the term. Among the six cases argued this week, were two blockbuster First Amendment cases, one that may decide the meaning of “freedom of association,” and another that may decide whether schools can punish students for speech made outside of school. Your hosts discuss those arguments and more. GianCarlo explains the one opinion of the week, which is all about the meaning of the word “a,” and explains how it’s round two in the ongoing debate between Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh about the right way to do textualism. GianCarlo also interviews veteran advocate and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. Last up, Zack tries to stump GianCarlo with more strategic retirement trivia.

It was a very busy week at the Court with six oral arguments, three opinions, and a couple of noteworthy orders. GianCarlo discusses the Court’s order striking down a California COVID-19 restriction that discriminated against religious practice and a patent case with facts fit for an episode of Suits. Zack, meanwhile, discusses a case raising that all-important issue of whether and how the lawyers will get paid. Together your hosts explain this week’s opinions, which involve life without parole for juvenile murderers, Social Security administrative law judges, and the scope of the Federal Trade Commission’s enforcement powers. Zack interviews Judge Robert Luck of the Eleventh Circuit, and GianCarlo grills Zack with trivia about strategically timed SCOTUS retirements.

This week the Court issued a high-profile and very technical opinion in the copyright dispute between Google and Oracle. Your hosts break down the complicated issues in that case and cover other interesting orders from this week including an opinion by Justice Thomas about free speech and Big Tech that sparked a national conversation. Later on, Amy Swearer joins us again! This time, however, she’s in the hot seat as a guest and subject-matter expert to discuss the Supreme Court and the Second Amendment. Lastly, Zack quizzes GianCarlo with some trivia about the Justices’ pre-SCOTUS jobs.

It was a busy week for the court with a number of high-profile orders, three oral arguments, and three unanimous opinions. In orders this week, the Justices announced that they will take up an abortion case but only to resolve a procedural issue, and they also delivered a very predictable rebuke to the Sixth Circuit in a habeas case. Zack and GianCarlo discuss oral arguments with a special focus on the antitrust case that will decide whether the NCAA’s student-athlete compensation rules are lawful. The hosts also discuss the three opinions issued, which involve spam text messages, media conglomerates, and a water-rights fight between Florida and Georgia. GianCarlo interviews Judge Ada E. Brown of the Northern District of Texas and quizzes Zack with trivia about the Justices’ extracurricular activities.

This week the Court takes us back to our first year of law school with cases destined for the casebooks. Oral arguments this week involved a takings case that touches on first-year property and the “bundle of rights,” a Fourth Amendment case involving the “care-taking exception” to the warrant requirement, and a really unique case about tribal police. We also got two blockbuster opinions this week involving personal jurisdiction and the definition of a “seizure” for the Fourth Amendment. Your hosts unpack all of that, and more. GianCarlo also interviews John Wood, a veteran litigator, Justice Thomas clerk, and current Chief Legal Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Last up, Zack grills GianCarlo with Fourth Amendment trivia. If he does well, all credit goes to Judge Pamela Harris who taught him criminal procedure.

For the first time in years, the Supreme Court issued surprise opinions during its February working recess. It issued an opinion in the Nazi art case and another in a case about railroads and retirement plans. Zack and GianCarlo discuss those as well as the newest case on the court’s docket, which will decide whether a corporation can use the federal government’s eminent domain power against a state government. Your hosts are joined this week by Judge Brantley Starr who discusses his journey to the bench and the influence his famous uncle had on his decision to become a lawyer. Lastly, Zack lobs some snowy-weather themed trivia at GianCarlo.

Going into its three week “working recess,” the Court was relatively quiet, issuing a few orders and one DIG. What’s a DIG? GianCarlo explains that, while Zack explains Munsingwear vacatur. GianCarlo then interviews Ninth Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke who shares his unusual path to law school and reveals why GianCarlo has dubbed him the modern-day Serranus Hastings. Finally, Zack holds his own in trivia about SCOTUS nicknames!

It was a quiet week at the court with no new grants or opinions, but we did have two interesting oral arguments. Zack and GianCarlo discuss those cases, and then GianCarlo interviews Fifth Circuit judge Jennifer Walker Elrod. She tells us about her career, her musical talent, and her continuing devotion to her undergraduate alma mater. Lastly, Zack throws some inauguration-themed trivia GianCarlo’s way.

We’re back from the holiday break and so is SCOTUS! This week we discuss orders that the Court issued in a capital-punishment case and an abortion case. Zack and GianCarlo also discuss this week’s oral arguments, which among other cases, involve a unique First Amendment issue with far-reaching implications. GianCarlo interviews Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who explains the link between Robert Bork, Thomas Sowell, and Top Gun’s Maverick. Lastly, GianCarlo tries to trick Zack with trivia about where many Supreme Court justices came from.

In this special holiday episode, Zack and GianCarlo prepare for the Court’s Winter break with a review of the term so far and a preview of what’s to come. Of course, no episode of SCOTUS 101 would be complete without trivia, so GianCarlo tests Zack’s knowledge of the history of the Court’s annual Christmas party.