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
OA71: Free Speech Left and Right (featuring the Grand Canyon)
In this episode, the guys address whether the political left or the political right is the biggest threat to freedom of speech in the United States. Their answer probably won't surprise you, but it …
01:07:23 |
Tue 23 May 2017
OA70: Donald Trump & Obstruction of Justice - Are We at the Peak of Yodel Mountain?
This episode begins the switch to a new, more responsive format in which we are better able to cover breaking news within a day of its release. And, of course, what better way to kick off that forma…
01:05:54 |
Fri 19 May 2017
OA69: The Tuesday Massacre - Trump Sacks FBI Director James Comey
In this episode, the guys analyze the justification given by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for President Trump to fire former FBI Director James Comey. First, though, fan-favorite Yodelin' T…
01:10:18 |
Tue 16 May 2017
OA68: Did Aaron Hernandez Cash In By Committing Suicide? (w/guest Chris Kristofco)
In this episode, the guys tackle a recent Internet meme regarding convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez's suicide with help from NFL expert and friend of the show Chris Kristofco of the Titletown Sound …
00:59:10 |
Fri 12 May 2017
OA67: Trump's Executive Order on Religious Freedom
In this episode, the guys analyze the recent Presidential Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty. First, though, we discuss why the show rejected a potential sponsor. Next, we an…
01:06:19 |
Tue 09 May 2017
OA66: Sanctuary Cities
In this episode, the guys break down the recent decision by a federal court to enjoin the enforcement of President Trump's Executive Order 13768 regarding Sanctuary Cities. First, though, Andrew tack…
01:03:36 |
Fri 05 May 2017
OA65: How "Net Neutrality" Became "Selling the Internet" - A Choose-Your-Own Adventure, Part 2 (Plus Ann Coulter!)
In this episode, Thomas continues his choose-your-own-adventure in which we discover how two well-meaning efforts to protect privacy on the Internet somehow left us with the "Selling The Internet" Bi…
01:04:07 |
Tue 02 May 2017
OA64: How "Net Neutrality" Became "Selling the Internet" - A Choose-Your-Own Adventure, Part 1
In this episode, Thomas begins a choose-your-own-adventure in which two well-meaning trains collide, producing the so-called "Selling The Internet" Bill, S.J.R. 34. How did this happen? First, thoug…
01:00:07 |
Fri 28 Apr 2017
OA63: Saving Money For College Is For Suckers! (with Phil Ferguson)
In this episode of Opening Arguments, Andrew and Thomas invite on Phil Ferguson, host of the cleverly-titled Phil Ferguson Show, to discuss why only suckers save money for college.
First, Andrew disc…
01:06:25 |
Tue 25 Apr 2017
OA62: The Supreme Court's Hall of Shame
In this episode, Andrew goes through five of the worst, most embarrassing cases in Supreme Court history. First, though, the guys tackle a question from Scott, who's considering becoming a patron of …
01:08:56 |
Fri 21 Apr 2017
OA61: Flyin' the Friendly Skies & Newt Gingrich Still Has a Contract on America
In this episode of Opening Arguments, the guys look at both United Airlines and an obscure law from 1996 that could threaten the "administrative state" held in such disdain by our newest Supreme Cour…
01:05:52 |
Tue 18 Apr 2017
OA60: Sex and Sexual Orientation
In this episode, we take a look at a landmark decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. First, though, we tackle a question from listener Justin W…
01:17:24 |
Fri 14 Apr 2017
OA59: Make America Great Again! OA Defends Trump
In this highly unlikely episode of Opening Arguments, the guys run through three segments in which they defend President Donald J. Trump. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction First, listener T.S…
01:08:23 |
Mon 10 Apr 2017
OA58: What Football Can Teach Us About Jury Nullification, Antitrust, and Donald Trump - Part 2
Today's episode is part two of a two-part series in which Thomas and Andrew walk through the short-lived history of the USFL, an alternative football league that ran into the bulldozer that is Donald…
01:04:50 |
Fri 07 Apr 2017
OA57: What Football Can Teach Us About Jury Nullification, Antitrust, and Donald Trump - Part 1
Today's episode is part one of a two-part series in which Thomas and Andrew walk through the short-lived history of the USFL, an alternative football league that ran into the bulldozer that is Donald…
01:03:11 |
Tue 04 Apr 2017
OA56: Jury Secrecy and Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado
In today's episode, we look at a recent Supreme Court decision that could have wide-ranging effects on future trials. We begin, however, by "Breakin' Down the Law" regarding House Intelligence Chairm…
01:01:15 |
Fri 31 Mar 2017
OA55: More on Gorsuch - Was He Just Unanimously Reversed By the Supreme Court?
Today's episode continues our look at appellate jurisprudence, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, and the philosophy of originalism that Andrew continues to insist is so extreme ast o be disqualifyi…
01:05:09 |
Tue 28 Mar 2017
OA54: Gerrymandering
In today's episode, we look at the history and potential future of gerrymandered congressional districts. We begin, however, with a listener question that's come to us from multiple sources, includin…
01:01:18 |
Fri 24 Mar 2017
OA53: Did Jeff Sessions Perjure Himself & Other Trump-Related Stories
In today's episode, we take a look at a recent claim being made by Sen. Al Franken and others that Attorney General Jeff Sessions perjured himself during his confirmation hearings. First, we begin wi…
01:11:03 |
Tue 21 Mar 2017
OA52: Thomas Knows Words! Thomas Has The Best Words!
In today's episode, we look at some legal terms that our patrons asked us to define. In a twist, however, the guys switch chairs and Andrew asks the questions while Thomas tries to offer legal defin…
01:01:38 |
Fri 17 Mar 2017
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