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!
- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 65 minutes
- Episodes
- 1132
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2025
OA170: All Yodel, All the Time
Well, it's another Rapid Response Friday, and we're here with everything you need to know about Yodel Mountain, including:
- Breaking news regarding the wiretap of Michael Cohen's office several weeks…
01:19:31 |
Fri 04 May 2018
OA169: Wells Fargo Goes To Jail?
Today's episode discusses the recent fines levied against Wells Fargo in connection with two specific acts of egregious fraud against consumers. Is it enough? Is it proof that Trump (and Mick Mulva…
01:19:11 |
Tue 01 May 2018
OA168: Michael Cohen Takes Five
In the main segment, we discuss the intersection between the Paul Manafort criminal trial and the public's right to know about the Mueller investigation. Oh, and ... isn't there a bill pending to pr…
01:08:49 |
Fri 27 Apr 2018
OA167: Neil Gorsuch, Secret Liberal?
Today's episode tackles the recent (and shocking) Supreme Court decision in which Neil Gorsuch voted with the Court's liberal justices to produce a very unusual 5-4 alignment. Is this a sign that Go…
01:02:08 |
Tue 24 Apr 2018
OA166: The Taint Team (& Also, Alex Jones)
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew take a look at the attorney-client privilege issues relating to the FBI's search of the offices of Michael Cohen, alleged lawyer to Donald Trump and.…
01:31:07 |
Thu 19 Apr 2018
OA165: You Heard It Here First! (Abortion Rights, Gun Control, and Offensive Trademarks)
Note: The "C" segment of this episode (and the show notes) contain hilarious explicit language in order to discuss a recent development in trademark law. You've been warned! In the preshow, we tamp…
01:08:30 |
Tue 17 Apr 2018
OA164: As American As Baseball, Hush Money, and... Segregated Schools?
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew take a look at the FBI's search of the offices of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's personal lawyer and alleged "fixer." First, we begin with a discussio…
01:21:32 |
Fri 13 Apr 2018
OA163: Whatcha Gonna Do, Brother? OA vs. Sinclair Broadcasting, the CLOUD Act & the WWE
Today's episode runs wild with an in-depth look a the CLOUD Act slipped in to the latest omnibus spending bill. First, however, we break down the recent viral video from Deadspin showing dozens of Si…
01:01:57 |
Tue 10 Apr 2018
OA162: Tariffs and Trade
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew take a look at the Trump administration's recently-announced tariffs on China, China's response, and the future of free trade. In the pre-show segmen…
01:04:11 |
Fri 06 Apr 2018
OA161: Gun Control & the Constitution
Today's episode takes an in-depth look at gun control. First, we answer two listener questions about originalism and the Second Amendment, including a provocative one about whether DC v. Heller dese…
00:59:11 |
Tue 03 Apr 2018
OA160: Schrodinger's Andrew
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew take a look at the things Andrew Was Right about over the past few weeks (yay!) as well as the things Andrew Was Wrong about (boo!). It's Schrödinge…
01:12:00 |
Fri 30 Mar 2018
OA159: What Was So Bad About Watergate? Part 1: The Saturday Night Massacre
Today's episode takes our time machine back to 1972, as Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-Elect the President ("CREEP") planned the break-in to the Watergate Hotel Complex that set in motion the crimin…
01:07:09 |
Tue 27 Mar 2018
OA158: Cambridge Analytica
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew discuss the scandal regarding Cambridge Analytica. Is there a legal angle? Have crimes been committed? Listen and find out! In the pre-show segmen…
01:12:57 |
Fri 23 Mar 2018
OA157: Are Originalist Judges Qualified? (w/guest David Michael)
Way back in Episode 49, Andrew argued that lawyers who claim to follow in the footsteps of Antonin Scalia-style originalism should be disqualified from serving on the U.S. Supreme Court, and that De…
01:26:59 |
Tue 20 Mar 2018
OA156: Conor Lamb & Pennsylvania Recounts
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew discuss Congressman-elect Conor Lamb's victory in Tuesday's PA-18 special election and whether the Republicans will be able to recount the results. A…
01:11:59 |
Fri 16 Mar 2018
OA155: Corporations Are People, My Friend... (and More Stormy)
Today's episode tackles a popular article in The Atlantic which implies that, but for the machinations of one dude in the 1880s, corporations might not be "people," today. Is it true? Listen and f…
01:20:14 |
Tue 13 Mar 2018
OA154: Stormy Daniels is a Legal Genius
This emergency episode examines the Complaint filed by Stormy Daniels seeking a legal determination that the Settlement Agreement entered into between her, Donald Trump's lawyer, and (allegedly) Dona…
01:07:30 |
Thu 08 Mar 2018
OA153: March Madness on Yodel Mountain
Today's episode takes an in-depth look at the recent FBI investigation into NCAA basketball. First, though, the guys take another trip to Yodel Mountain, stopping at base camp to discuss Michael Roge…
01:07:40 |
Tue 06 Mar 2018
OA152: Discrimination is for Dick's?
In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew discuss the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals' en banc decision in Zarda v. Altitude Express, ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964's ban …
01:24:54 |
Fri 02 Mar 2018
OA151: Equal Access, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and HR 620
Today's episode takes a look at HR 620. What does it mean, and why does Congress want to make changes to one of the most successful, bipartisan, and beloved pieces of legislation in the past 30 year…
01:03:22 |
Tue 27 Feb 2018
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