Opening Arguments
Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith and lawyer Matt Cameron help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas! The schedule is M-W-F, with the main show on Monday and Friday and Vapid Response on Wednesday!
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Trump Puts the "Pervert" in Perversion of Justice
It's spring cleaning time in this week's news, in which we answer patron questions on everything from DOJ lying to a federal judge about ICE's policy on arresting immigrants in courthouses to DOJ lying about violating court orders. Also: the Trump administration's unbelievable gift to some of the worst of the worst J6rs, the D.C. Circuit's inexplicable termination of Judge Boasberg's contempt proceedings against the administration for violating his orders, and a major ruling in one of the most important deportation cases in US history. We chase these shots of 200-proof reality out with a chaser: Did the 5th Circuit really just legalize bathtub gin? Find out in today's boozy footnote! "DOJ admits ICE courthouse arrests relied on erroneous information," Sergio Martinez-Beltran (NPR, 3/26/2026) Email in which ICE revised its policy to exclude arrests at immigration court, filed March 24, 2026 in the Southern District of New York Appeals court again blocks Boasberg contempt probe into Alien Enemies Act deportations (Politico, 4/14/2026) On Petition for Writ of Mandamus, In Re: Trump et al, D.C. Cir (April 14, 2026) Unopposed Motion to Vacate Convictions and To Remand For Dismissal With Prejudice filed April 14, 2026 Order in National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States v. National Park Service, et al. filed April 11, 2026 in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Fifth Circuit Strikes Down Federal Law Banning Home Alcohol Distilleries (Reason, 4/11/2026) Decision in McNutt et al. v. United State Department of Justice, Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau filed April 11, 2026 in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Go to Hell, Swalwell.
On this week's Vapid Response, we survey the fallout from California Congressman Eric Swalwell's recent exposure as a longtime sexual predator and ensuing swift exit from both the California governor's race and Congress itself. What does Swalwell's fall say about how our country's two political parties handle these kinds of allegations in 2026--and can we once again count on The Federalist to deliver the stupidest possible take on the situation? We then briefly revisit the single worst take on the allegations raised against Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation process before paying tribute to the women who organized to bring Swalwell's many abuses of his power and privilege to light.
Peaceful Protestors Are Facing Decades in Prison - Inside the Prairieland Trial
Just one month ago, nine people were convicted in a Texas federal court for their participation in a protest outside the Prairieland ICE facility in a first-ever prosecution in which the Department of Justice claimed that support for so-called "Antifa" constituted "material support for terrorism." What can we learn from the plight of the Prairieland defendants about how the Trump administration is punishing dissent, and where do things go from here? We are joined by Ron, a community member who attended the trial, and Prairieland defense attorney Xavier de Janon of the People's Law Collective and National Lawyers Guild for their unique perspectives on this important case. "Support the Prairieland Defendants" (DFW Support Committee website) Superseding indictment with material support for terrorism charges (filed 12/10/2025) '"Exclusive: FBI Files Counter Government's Argument in Texas "Antifa" Trial," Adam Federman, In These Times (3/26/2026) "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence (NPSM-7)", The White House, September 25, 2025 Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Farewell to Pam Bondi, the worst AG in US History... SO FAR!
We begin with a rare Friday appearance from OA democracy correspondent Jenessa Seymour, who stops in to provide some unequivocal good news from this week's elections. Then: a temperature check on how mad should we be that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for Steve Bannon's conviction to be reversed, an appropriately respectful review of former Attorney General Pam Bondi's career, and a footnote involving an extremely litigious German tourist who made the most of his short time in New York City in the most American way possible. Lawfare's Contempt Tracker Brief for the United States in U.S. v. Bannon (filed 2/6/2026) Amicus brief in U.S. v. Bannon filed by state of Iowa (12/10/2025) "Trump's Justice Department Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration," ProPublica (3/31/2026) Ethics complaint against former AG Pam Bondi filed by a coalition of progressive attorneys (June 5, 2025) Manz v. Walmart Supercenter, (3rd Cir., 2/27/2026) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law!
That Time Sociopaths Tried to Inception a Fake 14th Amendment History into Legal Scholarship
This week on Vapid Response Wednesday we take a look at the liars, losers, frauds, and suckers angling for a federal bench who have worked up, developed, and sold the "other side" of the Fourteenth Amendment's simple guarantee of birthright citizenship, which failed so badly in front of the Supreme Court last week. What kinds of people are out there trying to say that "anyone born or naturalized in the United States" doesn't mean exactly what it says? We review and discuss how a Fox News talkshow host, a deeply unserious law professor, and the lawyer most responsible for the events of January 6th, 2021 all did their part to radically reshape the US Constitution and who will benefit from it going forward. Watch this episode on YouTube! The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Library of Congress (1868) "The Birthright Con," Jamelle Bouie, The New York Times (April 1, 2026) (recommended reading!) "If SCOTUS upholds birthright citizenship it will be at its own peril," Breccan Thies, The Federalist (April 1, 2026) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
When You Fall Out of Bed and Land in the Supreme Court
A fall out of bed during a vacation in Delaware turned into a Supreme Court case, decided this term, that could have big implications for states' rights to limit tort suits… in federal court. Did Delaware take a good-faith precautionary measure to reduce frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits? Or did they put up an unfair barrier to plaintiffs who deserve restitution? Perhaps reasonable people can disagree on that. But in the rare circumstance you manage to bring that state tort case into a federal courtroom, SCOTUS ruled 9-0 that it's clear Delaware's rule is a step too far. (They can still do what they want in their own courts, but not here). How far-reaching will the consequences be? Legal reporting seems split! Come for the (brief, not too gory) medical drama, stay for the review of the Erie Doctrine so you can pass your Federal Civil Procedure class. A nice chill case where the world isn't burning down and the justices mostly act like normal respectful people. Berk v. Choy, 607 U.S. ___ (2026) Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 (1938) Rules Enabling Act of 1934: 28 U.S.C. § 2071-2077 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Robert Niles-Weed, A Sleeper Supreme Court Case Opens Door to More Frivolous Suits, Bloomberg Law, Mar. 3, 2026. Ronald Mann, Justices Reject State Limits on Malpractice Actions for Cases in Federal Court, SCOTUSblog, Jan. 21, 2026. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Trump's Birthright Citizenship Arguments Were Laughed Out of Court
... and they really never should have been laughed in to court in the first place. OA1249 - Solicitor General D. John Sauer got plenty of laughs when he brought his best April Fool's Day game to the Supreme Court this week, and we're here to break down the single stupidest case the federal government has ever presented. Matt brings the receipts to show just how badly the Trump administration's arguments against the plain text of the Constitution and the binding precedent of U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) went, and why he is willing to bet his house on the fact that even this SCOTUS will have no choice but to find that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" means exactly what it says that it means. "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship," The White House (1/20/2026) U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898)[PDF] Brief for the Petitioners in Trump v. Barbara Brief for Respondents in Trump v. Barbara Trump v. Barbara Supreme Court oral argument transcript (4/1/2026) Amicus brief filed by Prof. Evan Bernick & Prof. Jed Shugerman Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
LAM1012: The Juror - Preview
This LAM was so much fun I wanted to make sure everyone could hear it! Well, at least a good chunk of it anyway. If you'd like to hear the rest, head to patreon and hit that $2 level or above! If you love the 90s, and peak Alec Baldwin, you will love this one. And Thomas did. As usual, Matt read the book. And Lydia can remember people's names. Everyone is bringing their best to this LAM!
Subnautica Part 2 - It Does Not Go Well for Idiot Krafton CEO
Part 2: How Subnautica 2 got its CEO back Welcome back to the strange tale of video game publisher Krafton, the bonus they really didn't want to pay to developer Unknown Worlds, and the contract dispute that delayed release of the much-anticipated game Subnautica 2. In part 1, we learned the back story behind the tense relationships, and the terms of the contract. Here in part 2, Jenessa walks us through the absolute bench-slap from a judge who has had it up to here with Krafton's transparent attempts to breach the contract now and justify it later. Come for the drama, stay for the rules of contract law. Fortis v Krafton, C.A. No. 2025-0805-LWW (Del. Ch. 2026). https://courts.delaware.gov/Opinions/Download.aspx?id=392880 Fortis Advisors. https://www.fortisrep.com Chalk, A. (2026). PUBG maker Krafton is an AI defense company now, signs deal with Korean aerospace firm that includes investment of up to $1 billion aiming 'to expand the physical AI ecosystem'. PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/pubg-maker-krafton-is-an-ai-defense-company-now-signs-deal-with-korean-aerospace-firm-that-includes-investment-of-up-to-usd1-billion-aiming-to-expand-the-physical-ai-ecosystem/ Winslow, L. (2025). Subnautica 2 devs claim there's no GenAI in game after publisher's "AI first" shift. Gamespot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/subnautica-2-devs-claim-theres-no-genai-in-game-after-publishers-ai-first-shift/1100-6535799/
Social Media Is a Defective Product
Should social media companies be held responsible for the addiction and other harms their features and algorithms have caused to users? A California jury thought so this week, and in this episode recorded within hours of this historic verdict--and the day after another similar win in New Mexico--we examine the legal basis for this suit and what this might mean for thousands of similar legal actions now pending against Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and others around the U.S. Matt also explains why Trump is sending ICE agents to US airports, and how a little-noticed new addition to an existing DHS program has turned some state and local cops into immigrant bounty hunters. Finally, we go a little deeper than usual in today's footnote to honor the sacrifice of a federal judge in the Southern District of New York who read more than 6,000 pages of "romantasy" fiction to determine as a matter of law that a book about a part-witch/part-shapeshifter/part-demon who moves from San Diego to Alaska after the death of a parent to meet a hot guy with mysterious powers while discovering her own in urban Anchorage is not "substantially similar to a discerning ordinary reader" to a book about a half-witch/half-gargoyle who moves from San Diego to Alaska after the death of a parent to meet a hot guy with mysterious powers while discovering her own in a remote Gothic castle. Complaint in K.G.M. v. Meta, filed April 28, 2025 in LA Superior Court Exclusive: ICE's Bounty Hunters, Ken Klippenstein (March 24, 2026) Leaked spreadsheet of ICE 287(g) payouts [PDF] Complaint in Freeman v. Wolff, filed May 23, 2022 in SDNY Summary judgment order in Freeman v. Wolff, March 16, 2026 (McMahon, J.) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Pete Hegseth's books are racist trash written in crayon. We've got some highlights for you.
Matt read not one but TWO of Pete Hegseth's "books." The awful xenophobic, genocidal crap contained therein might help explain the Iran War.
Idiot CEO Used ChatGPT to Try to Screw Over Subnautica Creators
Part 1: "The AI was nicer about it" and other reasons I ignored my lawyer: the Subnautica 2 story ChatGPT cannot warp space-time to make you un-sign that contract. Unfortunately for video game publisher "Krafton", the world's-best-cheerleader will instead gently tell you that your intention to break an air-tight contract without illegally breaching it will be difficult, and then give you a plan to try anyway. Team of lawyers screaming "please god stop" be damned. The plan worked great, right up until it hit a judge. Developer "Unknown Worlds", creator of the hit game "Subnautica" just won a substantial victory for breach of contract against Krafton, securing the reinstatement of their own CEO, and probably a massive bonus in the process. In part 1, Jenessa walks us through the story of how Unknown Worlds was formed, why they sold to Krafton, the terms of the contract, how the relationship went south, and why "Subnautica 2" got delayed. Tune in to part 2 to hear how the lawsuit was decided. Fortis v Krafton, C.A. No. 2025-0805-LWW (Del. Ch. 2026). Fortis Advisors Weisdorfer, E. (2024). Transformative play: The legalities of modding in the video game industry. Cybaris, 16, 79-115. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
DOJ Just Convicted Several People of Imaginary Antifa Terrorism
Federal prosecutors have just secured the first convictions in US history in which the Department of Justice has brought charges relating to associations with "Antifa," an organization which demonstrably does not exist. We take a closer look at the plight of the eight defendants convicted on charges relating to a noise protest outside of an ICE detention center in Prarieland, Texas to break down the unusual legal basis for this case, understand how protesters were cast as terrorists, and what this all means for the future of American dissent. Then in better news, we take a closer look at the recent bar complaint against one of Trump's favorite lawyers (and our favorite MAGA characters) and AG Pam Bondi's efforts to claim that the feds can hold up similar investigations brought by state regulators. Matt explains why this proposed rule is not only obviously illegal but doomed to fail before providing some news you can use in today's footnote: the official OA guide on how to get away with a $100 million jewelry heist. Superseding Indictment #1 in United States v. Arnold (2025) Jury verdict in in United States v. Arnold (2025) "Meet the Defendants," DFW Defense Committee website "Specification of Charges in the matter of Edward R. Martin Jr." District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility (3/6/2026) "Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations Against Department of Justice Attorneys," Federal Register (3/5/2026) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
US v Dunn 2 - "If You Spit, We Hit"
Hey folks, no video this week so instead I wanted to give you another episode of our new trial over on Gavel Gavel, US v. Dunn! This is episode 2 (we have released 4 on the Gavel Gavel feed, check it out!) Matt takes us through the pretrial motions. It's an interesting episode even as a standalone law breakdown, so check it out!
Ballots Seized in Georgia? Voting Chaos in Dallas? Here's What to Make Of It.
More election news updates. What the heck happened in Dallas? How is hunting for fraud in Georgia still a thing? Why is the DOJ trying to get non-public voter data from the states? There's smoke. There's fire. But it might not be coming from the places everyone is looking. Jenessa helps us focus our concerns in the right direction, and maybe calms our nerves just a bit. Georgia court documents Affidavit: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.355087/gov.uscourts.gand.355087.22.2_3.pdf Search warrant: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.355087/gov.uscourts.gand.355087.1.5_1.pdf Order to unseal documents: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.355087/gov.uscourts.gand.355087.9.0.pdf Cline, S., Swenson, A., & Riccardi, N. (Mar. 3, 2026). Change in primary voting rules leads to confusion in 2 Texas counties as voters are turned away. ABC 13. Democracy Docket (Mar. 3, 2026). Texas Dallas County polling hours extension request. Rose, S. (Feb. 3, 2026). Thousands of ballots seized in GA. Here's how it will affect voter info, how you can protect yours. Ledger-Enquirer. Fowler. S. (Feb. 11, 2026). The FBI seizure of Georgia 2020 election ballots relies on debunked claims. NPR. Duster, C. (Oct. 5, 2024). Can someone find out who you voted for? No. Here is what you should know. NPR. Sherman, A. (Feb. 1, 2022). A claim about serial numbers on ballots is misguided. Politifact. Dawsey, J., Volz, D., & Gurman, S. (Jan. 29, 2026). Spy chief Tulsi Gabbard is hunting for 2020 election fraud. Wall Street Journal. Kaplan. A. (Jan. 16, 2026). LindellTV host Emerald Robinson claims Patrick Byrne "got called in to the white house". Media Matters for America. Clark. D.B. (Feb. 9, 2026). The conservative researcher being linked to the FBI's seizure of election records in Georgia. ProPublica. ACLU New Jersey (Mar. 4, 2026). Civil rights groups, New Jersey voters file motion to protect voters' privacy. Biryukov, N. (Feb. 27, 2026). Trump administration sues New Jersey for voters' private information. New Jersey Monitor. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!