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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OA27: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 1
In this week's episode, we return to the subject of abortion and pick up with a cliffhanger from way back in episode #11, where Thomas was asked how he would have handled what became the Supreme Court case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992). We talk about that landmark decision, how it changed the …
OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2
This week's super-sized episode is literally jam-packed with five all-new segments for our listeners; six if you haven't heard both parts of the Second Amendment Masterclass already. And make sure you stay tuned all the way to the end for our exciting new segment! First, you get an all-new introduction with new quotes, many of which were …
OA25: Could Jill Stein Decide the Presidency? (No.)
In this week's episode, we discuss the recent efforts by Jill Stein and the Green Party to raise funds for Presidential recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Should you rush out and open your wallets to help raise funds for the Green Party? "Breakin' Down the Law" returns with a discussion on court structure. If …
OA24: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 2
In part two of this two-part episode, we continue to address every unique listener question posted to the Opening Arguments Facebook page relating to the impending Trump presidency. So if you're wondering whether Trump will be impeached, if Obama can recess appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, about the future of the ACA, or …
OA23: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 1
In part one of this two-part episode, we tackle every unique listener question posted to the Opening Arguments Facebook page relating to the impending Trump presidency. So if you're wondering whether Trump will be impeached, if Obama can recess appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, about the future of the ACA, or what Trump's …
OA22: Libertarianism is Bad and You Should Feel Bad
PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs In this week's episode, we tackle the legal and philosophical issues underlying libertarianism. We take on such issues as : what is "property," why is it a right, and is it cognizable as a side-constraint against government action? At the end of the day, …
OA21: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 1
PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs By listener request, we are bringing you this special "deep dive" episode into the history and jurisprudence underlying the Second Amendment. This episode was originally broadcast on Atheistically Speaking earlier in 2016. Just in time for the election, we tackle a thorny political issue: …
OA20: What Happened With Ammon Bundy? SPECIAL EDITION
PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs In this special episode, we look at breaking news: the jury verdict in United States v. Ammon Bundy et al., a federal case brought in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon as a result of the armed takeover of the Malheur National …
OA19: Should Edward Snowden Be Pardoned?
PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs In this week's episode, we look at some of the interesting details surrounding the intentional release of classified materials by Edward Snowden. In particular, we looked at the legacy of Snowden's leaks, how they played out in the Second Circuit's decision in ACLU v. Clapper, 785 F.3d …
OA18: You Be The Supreme Court, Part 3
In this week's super-sized episode, we conclude our three-part role-playing experiment "You Be The Supreme Court," using an actual case that is currently pending before the Court: Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley. Last time, we went through the State of Missouri Department of Natural Resources's response brief. This week, we look at the …
OA17: You Be The Supreme Court, Part 2
In this week's episode, we return to our little role-playing experiment "You Be The Supreme Court," using an actual case that is currently pending before the Court: Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley. Last time, we went through the Petitioner's brief seeking to overturn the lower court's decision to deny Trinity Lutheran Church the …
OA16: Dump Trump?
In this week's bonus episode, we tackle the breaking legal question of whether the RNC can legally replace Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for President, and if so, what the consequences would be. You don't want to miss this episode! In our opening segment, we bring back a classic "Breakin' (Down) the Law" by …
OA15: #SaveTheInternet
In this week's episode, we tackle a breaking legal issue: is Andrew's old law school buddy Ted Cruz correct that the U.S. government just "gave away the Internet?" (Hint: Ted Cruz is never right about anything.) We walk you through everything you could possibly want to know about #savetheinternet. (If you're looking for Part 2 …
OA14: You Be The Supreme Court, Part 1
In this episode, we try something a little bit different. Instead of simply analyzing a case, we let you play the role of Supreme Court Justice working your way through a difficult case that is currently pending before the Court: Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley. You'll learn what kind of cases make their …
OA13: Hillary Clinton's Damned Emails!
In this episode, we delve — at long last, and just in time for the first Presidential debate — into the question of Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State. In particular, we answer the question: "did Hillary Clinton receive preferential treatment" when the …