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Opening Arguments - Podcast

Opening Arguments

Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith brings on legal analysts to help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas!
The typical schedule will be M-W-F with Monday being a deep-dive, Wednesday being Thomas Takes the Bar Exam and patron shoutouts, and Friday being a rapid response to legal issues in the news!

News Politics Law
Update frequency
every 2 days
Average duration
65 minutes
Episodes
1133
Years Active
2016 - 2025
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OA538: The Rittenhouse Trial Instructions, Explained

OA538: The Rittenhouse Trial Instructions, Explained

Yet another packed episode! Our main story is what's really going on with the Rittenhouse Trial Instructions. You might have seen the coverage stating that the victims can't be called victims but ca…

01:15:06  |   Fri 29 Oct 2021
OA537: Why CA Prop 22 Was Ruled Unconstitutional

OA537: Why CA Prop 22 Was Ruled Unconstitutional

Another classic deep dive! You might remember California passing AB5, which sought to elevate so-called "gig economy" workers from independent contractors to full on employees. It was not a perfect …

01:00:12  |   Tue 26 Oct 2021
OA536: The Tennessee Judge Who Keeps Jailing Kids

OA536: The Tennessee Judge Who Keeps Jailing Kids

So much in today's episode! First: a Thomas rant on police striking and quitting over the COVID vaccine. Next: a brief look into Striketober and when Reagan ruined unions. Third: Steve Bannon contem…

01:12:25  |   Fri 22 Oct 2021
OA535: Roe is Doomed. Contraceptives Could Be Next - Part 2

OA535: Roe is Doomed. Contraceptives Could Be Next - Part 2

This is part 2 of the deep-dive into Griswold v Connecticut. If you didn't catch part 1, make sure to listen! It's OA533! But also, since we love you so much, there's a wildcard on more Sidney Powel…

01:16:41  |   Tue 19 Oct 2021
OA534: State and Federal Agencies Now Fighting EACH OTHER in Blizzard Activision Case

OA534: State and Federal Agencies Now Fighting EACH OTHER in Blizzard Activision Case

Our own Andrew Torrez broke this news while on vacation, no less! Here's an article referencing the podcast! We had assumed that the DFEH and the EEOC were working in coordination on the Blizzard A…

01:07:59  |   Fri 15 Oct 2021
OA533: Roe is Doomed. Contraceptives Could Be Next

OA533: Roe is Doomed. Contraceptives Could Be Next

Today is part 1 of a much needed but quite dire deep-dive. The case is Griswold v. Connecticut, which may be familiar even to the layperson. It's what gives us the right to buy contraceptives and no…

00:58:31  |   Tue 12 Oct 2021
OA532: OK I'll Bite What is the Debt Ceiling

OA532: OK I'll Bite What is the Debt Ceiling

If that's something you've been too afraid to say lately, this is the episode for you! Andrew breaks down the history of the debt ceiling, and why it is as pointless as it is potentially catastrophi…

01:12:05  |   Fri 08 Oct 2021
OA531: Pop-law! Nirvana Sued by the Nevermind Baby; and a #FreeBritney Update!

OA531: Pop-law! Nirvana Sued by the Nevermind Baby; and a #FreeBritney Update!

Everyone's favorite Ace Associate, Morgan Stringer, is back for another rousing edition of Morgan's Pop-law! So many of you asked us about the Nirvana lawsuit, so we've got the full breakdown for yo…

01:10:56  |   Tue 05 Oct 2021
OA530: Andrew Testifies to Congress on Christian Healthshare Ministries!

OA530: Andrew Testifies to Congress on Christian Healthshare Ministries!

Mr. Torrez went to Washington! Ok ok, not quite as glamorous as all that, but Andrew DID testify via Skype in a closed door congressional hearing about Christian Healthshare Ministries! How cool is …

01:06:21  |   Fri 01 Oct 2021
OA529: The Weird Al Deep-Dive We Didn't Know We Desperately Needed

OA529: The Weird Al Deep-Dive We Didn't Know We Desperately Needed

Alright so... we got a lot of emails from our satire-related episode. Like a lot. And it all focused on the same one thing from a quick aside about Weird Al. Since then, a massive debate has taken p…

01:15:30  |   Tue 28 Sep 2021
OA528: Disgraced Ex-President Sues Niece Mary Trump

OA528: Disgraced Ex-President Sues Niece Mary Trump

for... revealing the depths of the Trump family tax crimes. This suit has not been reported very well in the media. Andrew has the breakdown, and the main takeaway that should be the headline every…

01:17:35  |   Fri 24 Sep 2021
OA527: The Hilarious Legal Battle Over 'OlneyFans' Parody Article

OA527: The Hilarious Legal Battle Over 'OlneyFans' Parody Article

When the Tacoma Torch posted this hilarious parody news story, the Olney Community Baseball Team responded in the worst possible way – they had their lawyer try to intimidate the satirical site i…

01:06:46  |   Tue 21 Sep 2021
OA526: Updates from Five Cases on the OA Docket

OA526: Updates from Five Cases on the OA Docket

So many updates, so little time! Listen as Andrew breaks down the developments in five cases: Texas SB8, E. Jean Carroll, Activision Blizzard, Roger Stone, and Pauline Bauer! If you're doubting that…

01:07:38  |   Fri 17 Sep 2021
OA525: Insurrectionist Mounts Sovereign Citizen Legal Defense, Hilarity Ensues

OA525: Insurrectionist Mounts Sovereign Citizen Legal Defense, Hilarity Ensues

It's Andrew's favorite thing in the world! No, not Transformers porn... Ok, it's Andrew's second favorite thing in the world: Sovereign Citizen nutbaggery. Listen as Andrew breaks down the hilarious…

01:17:18  |   Tue 14 Sep 2021
OA524: Laurence Tribe Thinks Grendel's Den Case Will Stop the Texas Abortion Law. Is He Right?

OA524: Laurence Tribe Thinks Grendel's Den Case Will Stop the Texas Abortion Law. Is He Right?

Andrew's favorite Constitutional Law expert, Laurence Tribe, has written an op-ed in the Boston Globe arguing that a Massachusetts case called Larkin v. Grendel's Den will "end the Texas abortion …

01:06:46  |   Fri 10 Sep 2021
OA523: Is the CA Recall Unconstitutional?

OA523: Is the CA Recall Unconstitutional?

Andrew breaks down the state of the recall, the porked polls, and Clark v. Weber! Paffrath still seems to be some sort of Democratic frontrunner, but how much of that is real and how much is poll po…

01:15:02  |   Tue 07 Sep 2021
OA522: Roe v. Wade is Dead.

OA522: Roe v. Wade is Dead.

This is not an exaggeration. Sure, technically speaking the Supreme Court hasn't said the magic words "we overturn Roe v. Wade" but they used the shadow docket to effectively eliminate it. This is b…

01:11:29  |   Fri 03 Sep 2021
OA521: Knowledge Fight Explains the Owen Shroyer Grift

OA521: Knowledge Fight Explains the Owen Shroyer Grift

Our friends Dan and Jordan from the Knowledge Fight podcast are here to break down a creative grift being pulled off by Owen Shroyer. Who tf is Owen Shroyer, Thomas asks? He's an Alex Jones wannabe …

01:10:51  |   Tue 31 Aug 2021
OA520: Kraken Lawyers Hit with Sanctions! YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

OA520: Kraken Lawyers Hit with Sanctions! YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Today's episode is. So. Satisfying. It's not just sanctions against all the Kraken lawyers. That alone would already be amazing. But it's ALSO consequences for world's most punchable douchebag Jacob…

01:02:19  |   Fri 27 Aug 2021
OA519: No, Britney Spears' Dad Is NOT Stepping Down as Conservator

OA519: No, Britney Spears' Dad Is NOT Stepping Down as Conservator

It's another edition of Ace Associate Morgan Stringer's Pop Law! The media widely reported that Jamie Spears intends to step down as conservator. BUT.. that's a bad law thingy. He actually isn't. Tu…

01:20:16  |   Tue 24 Aug 2021
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