Broken Law
Ever feel like the law is stacked against you? It probably is. Broken Law speaks truth to power in discussing how our laws and legal system serve the few at the expense of the many. This is where law meets real life. Hosted by the staff of the American Constitution Society, we reckon with the origins of our legal system, interview people on the frontlines of the progressive legal movement, and chat about necessary legal reforms to restore our democratic legitimacy and improve the lives of all people.
- Update frequency
- every 10 days
- Average duration
- 45 minutes
- Episodes
- 183
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Episode 142: Radical Reparations
Under the banner of "40 acres and a mule," the movement for reparations for slavery and Jim Crow has gained momentum in recent years, with diverse efforts underway from big states like California and…
Episode 141: The Electoral College's Past, Present, and Future (Part II of Episode 137 - Is the ECA Prepared for 2024?)
The Electoral College has shown significant flaws since its inception. Twice in the 21st Century, the national popular vote winner has not ultimately been elected President. The undemocratic nature o…
Episode 140: The Relentless Attack on Government as We Know It
The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in Loper Bright Enterprises and Relentless, Inc., two cases that could see the Court overrule the Chevron doctrine, a 40-year-old precedent. Overruling…
Episode 139: Will SCOTUS Close the Courthouse Door to Immigrants?
The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral argument in the second of two big immigration cases this term. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Taonga Leslie about the Supreme Court's track reco…
Episode 138: Two Big Ticket Items for 2024
Welcome to 2024! We are covering two topics poised to shape the new year. First, Jeanne Hruska catches up with Lindsay Langholz for the latest developments in efforts to keep Donald Trump off the bal…
Episode 137: Is the ECA Prepared for 2024? Part I
The Electoral Count Act (ECA) played a prominent role in the legal fictions clung to by those who orchestrated the January 6th Insurrection. With another presidential election before us, Lindsay Lang…
Episode 136: 2023 Wrap Up
With 2023 nearly over, Craig Mastantuono and Neal Sarkar join Jeanne Hruska to discuss the good, the bad, and the terrifying from the past year and to look ahead to the mammoth year that is 2024. Cra…
Episode 135: What a Year for Labor!
After a hot labor summer, we've continued to see positive developments on the labor front. On this episode, Elizabeth Binczik speaks with Professor Catherine Fisk about the combination of labor wins …
Episode 134: Red Courts, Blue Courts, and AI
Two topics for the price of one episode. Jeanne Hruska is joined by Professor Mark Lemley for a discussion on his recent article, “Red Courts, Blue Courts,” which explains how administrations are inc…
Episode 133: Taking Up Section 3 of the 14th Amendment
There's been much conversation about Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and whether it can be used to keep people who engaged in the January 6th insurrection off the ballot. Lindsay Langholz speaks with…
Episode 132: Optional Ethics
The U.S. Supreme Court recently published a "Code of Conduct," signed by all nine justices. Jeanne Hruska catches up with Russ Feingold, ACS President, to discuss how much weight, if any, to give th…
Episode 131: How to Advance Workplace DEI Post SFFA
Since the U.S. Supreme Court largely outlawed affirmative action in higher education earlier this year, there's been discussion about what the decision could mean for the future of DEI practices in e…
Episode 130: SCOTUS Confronts a Mess of Its Own Making
The U.S. Supreme Court has an opportunity to rein in its disastrous 2nd Amendment decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen this term, or make it that much harder for states to prevent gun violence. Christopher Wr…
Episode 129: One Year Out from Election Day 2024
One year out from the 2024 election, Lindsay Langholz checks in with Jessica Huseman from VoteBeat about the election issues that are consuming her attention and could shape the 2024 election space, …
Episode 128: How Campaign Funding Affects Judicial Decision Making
As state judicial elections become more and more expensive, it's worth asking whether campaign funding impacts judicial decision making. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Michael Kang and Jo…
Episode 127: The Persecution of a State Supreme Court Justice
An increasing number of state court judges and justices are being targeted by state officials for not advancing their interests. On this episode, Taonga Leslie speaks with Dawn Blagrove (Emancipate N…
Episode 126: Why We Should All Be Space Lawyers
Recently, Dish Network became the first company to be fined by the Federal Communications Commission for littering in space. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska speaks with Professor Michelle Hanlon about…
Episode 125: The Psychological Torture of the Death Penalty
In honor of World Day Against the Death Penalty (October 10), Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Professor John Bessler about why the death penalty should be considered an act of torture. They d…
Episode 124: Previewing the New SCOTUS Term
With the Supreme Court's new term underway as of October 2, the ACS team sat down to discuss the biggest trends and cases on the Court's docket. Is the term going to bring all bad news or might there…
Episode 123: Are Our Elections Ready for AI?
AI is becoming increasingly widespread and that includes in the electoral space. Elizabeth Binczik speaks this week with Lisa Gilbert (Public Citizen) about the threat of AI to our elections, from de…