The Birthright Citizenship Case Is Actually Something Differently Terrible
Opening Arguments
OA1158 - We start off with some patron questions about what to do when ICE comes to your neighborhood, the one thing that the world’s most annoying white libertarians got right, and how to best exercise the very few rights US citizens have coming back into the country. Then in our main story: This week the Supreme Court heard arguments over birthright citizenship--or did it? Matt explains how they might do something even worse than expected while still striking down Trump’s attempt to end the Constitutional right to citizenship for everyone born on US soil by executive order. ...
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Getting Our Dramshop Act Together
Opening Arguments
After some Thomas-Lydia nonsense and updates, Heather gives us the answer to question 68, a fiendishly difficult real property one. Did you get the right answer? Then we get a new question 69! If you'd like to play along with T3BE, here's what to do: hop on Bluesky, , find the post that has this episode, and quote it with your answer! Or, and look for the appropriate T3BE posting. Or best of all, become a patron at and play there! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at ! Check out the OA for all the places to go and things to do! This content is CAN credentialed,...
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The Supreme Court Sucks. But at Least We Can Talk to Leah Litman About It!
Opening Arguments
OA1157 - Leah Litman is a co-host of Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny podcast and professor at University of Michigan Law School, and most recently the author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. We are pleased to welcome Professor Litman to discuss everything from what it’s like to teach American Constitutional law 2025 to what the Supreme Court has in common with the Bluth family. , Leah Litman (2025) Check out the OA for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at !...
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A Very Stablecoin Genius
Opening Arguments
For this Rapid Response Friday, we answer patron questions on everything from how to examine a warrant to why Donald Trump will never be sending anyone to Alcatraz. We also consider just how bad the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the administration’s ban on trans military service members actually is, how the single biggest financial corruption scandal in Presidential history is happening right now right in front of us, and why the forced departure of the acting DC U.S. Attorney is some of the best news this country has had since January 20, 2025. Also: a surreal Black...
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Several Very Good Court Thingies
Opening Arguments
OA1155 - It's a bad news/good news show, but the good news is very good! But first, the fasch. First, a few more notes on the arrest of Judge Dugan. Then some terrible EOs. One attacking on sanctuary cities. In another, we get a look at what Trump wants to use his literal billion dollars of big law pledges for. And, you know, some other fascisms. Then the good news! The courts are putting a stop to some major bull shits, including a huge smackdown of Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act. And this was by a Trump-appointed judge! And Mohsen Mahdawi has been released! Check out the OA for all...
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Passing the Joint Tenancy
Opening Arguments
T3BE68 - Professor Heather Varanini returns to spill the beans on how Thomas did for Question 67 before taking us down another Bar prompt. If you'd like to play along with T3BE, here's what to do: hop on Bluesky, , find the post that has this episode, and quote it with your answer! Or, and look for the appropriate t3BE posting. Or best of all, become a patron at and play there! Check out the OA for all the places to go and things to do! This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their...
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Trump's FBI Just Arrested a Judge
Opening Arguments
OA1154 - Whatever the stage of fascism is where they start arresting judges for doing their jobs--well, we’re here. We review what we know about the in-court arrest of Milwaukie County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan last week. Matt then explains exactly what a “sanctuary” jurisdiction is (and isn’t) and how the Trump administration’s promises to aggressively investigate and prosecute state and local officials for non-cooperation with ICE fits into the overall plan of American authoritarianism. We also review ICE’s efforts to engage “force multipliers” via special cooperation...
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Alito Fails to Understand a Kids' Book — and Other Fascist Mega-Fails of the Week!
Opening Arguments
OA1153 - It's good news Friday! Here are some stories about American fascists losing or otherwise showing their asses in court, including (among others): The Supreme Court comes through strong for immigrant justice at 1 AM on a Saturday morning Samuel Alito fails to properly interpret a book written at a fourth grade level after having his Easter ruined by immigrant justice DOJ accidentally files an embarrassing internal memo into the record Sarah Palin’s tries and fails to sue the New York Times for libel for the second time one federal judge stops Trump's attempt to do the...
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T3BE67: To Larse or to Burgle?
Opening Arguments
T3BE67 - It's another bar question with Heather Varanini! First we get the answer to last week's very bad and ungrateful father question, and then it's time for our next one! We crown some new winners, and then thank the best winners of all - our patrons! If you'd like to play along with T3BE, here's what to do: hop on Bluesky, , find the post that has this episode, and quote it with your answer! Or, and look for the appropriate t3BE posting. Or best of all, become a patron at and play there! Check out the OA for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the...
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Meet the Absolute Heroes Behind CourtListener.com
Opening Arguments
OA1152 - We are pleased to welcome Mike Lissner, the Executive Director and CTO of the Free Law Project to discuss his outstanding work in bringing federal court filings out from behind the PACER paywall, how just a few people with good ideas can fill in the gaps left by government services, and why he hasn’t created an Article III Hot or Not with his vast library of judicial portraits (but how you could). Check out the OA for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at ! This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can...
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OA1142 and T3BE64 - The State Bar of California wanted to save a buck or two, so they switched from paying a company to administer a real bar exam to a company that... didn't do that. It's an absolute fiasco. Heather is pulling double duty today on Wildcard Wednesday (tm) as she is our expert on this nonsense, in addition to giving us the usual Thomas Takes the Bar Exam treatment!
If you'd like to play along with T3BE, here's what to do: hop on Bluesky, follow Openargs, find the post that has this episode, and quote it with your answer! Or, go to our Subreddit and look for the appropriate T3BE posting.
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