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Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch
Supreme Court
First Amendment
Donald Trump
Second Amendment
Birthright Citizenship
Executive Power
Tiktok
Department Of Justice
Free Speech
Trump Administration
Federalist Society
Death Penalty
Congress
Tariffs
Originalism
Humphrey's Executor
Voting Rights Act
Administrative State
Fourth Amendment
Federal Trade Commission

Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes648Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsGovernmentPolitics

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Latest Episodes

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the three SCOTUS decisions that dropped Thursday morning,  a D.C. Circuit decision on President Donald Trump's ban on transgender military members, and accommodations running rampant at law schools. Oh, and a fede... more

Sarah Isgur and David French look at what’s left on the docket from this term before diving into a little Los Angeles mayoral politics.

The Agenda:

–Supreme Court bingo

–Do Rastafarians get religious exemptions?

–The mighty small-dollar donor

... more

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the Supreme Court’s Alabama redistricting decision, a plea deal from the former national security adviser, and the best legal movies ever made.

The Agenda:

–⁠June 4 Opinions ⁠

–Alabama’s new maps

–John Bolton ... more

Sarah Isgur and David French (he returns!) discuss the major Trump losses—Kennedy Center name change, motion on Trump v. IRS, and injunction on the slush fund—before reviewing scrutiny of the court and the swatting incident at Justice Amy Coney Barre... more

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Recent Guests

Nina Totenberg
NPR's legendary legal affairs correspondent who has covered the Supreme Court for nearly five decades
National Public Radio (NPR)
Episode: SCOTUS Through the Decades | Interview: Nina Totenberg
Neal Katyal
Former Acting Solicitor General
Office of the Solicitor General (Obama administration)
Episode: The TED Talk Heard ‘Round the World
Roy Altman
Judge, author of Israel on Trial
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Episode: Gutting the Voting Rights Act | Interview: Judge Roy K. Altman
Kevin Stitt
Governor of Oklahoma
State of Oklahoma
Episode: The Chief Justice Didn’t Hate President Obama | Interview: Gov. Kevin Stitt
Akhil Amar
Akhil Reed Amar, Yale Law School professor
Yale Law School
Episode: Birthright Citizenship Oral Arguments
Cecilia Wong
Chief counsel for challengers in the case
ACLU (advocate for challengers)
Episode: Birthright Citizenship Oral Arguments
Chris Christie
55th Governor of New Jersey
Former Governor of New Jersey
Episode: In Mourning for the DOJ | Interview: Chris Christie
Rebecca Taibleson
Judge, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Episode: You Can’t Preach Jesus Here | Interview: Judge Rebecca Taibleson
Stefanos Bibas
Third Circuit Judge
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Episode: Will Temporary Protected Status for Immigrants End?

Hosts

Sarah Isgur
Host of Advisory Opinions
David French
Co-host of Advisory Opinions

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.4k ratings
  • Have listened to every episode

    Very good podcast. I do worry increasingly, that the hosts may be responding a little bit to cross pressures of an institutional nature as French is now an employee of the NYT and Isgur now oversees SCOTUS Blog. Their conservative positions on legal issues seem a little softer now than in the early days of the podcast. I hope I’m wrong.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    K999bru
    United States4 days ago
  • Slush Fund Supporters

    Really tired of the active racism and discrimination promoted by these pundits.

    After listening to sera and David, make multiple cases as to why Donald Trump/fund is legal, and them giving no pushback as to why it’s not legal, it is easy to say that their words don’t match their actions. Someone who was truly opposing the republican misappropriation of funds, would make a proactive case for its illegality and not it’s legality. More over the hosts consistently blame past democratic presidents ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jason Stein
    Canada7 days ago
  • Right Wing agenda on Steroids

    Isgur fails American listeners with her puerile interpretation that our Constitution as “RACE BLIND.” 3/5ths any body? Worst SCOTUS in history paraded as ‘ reasonable’ by these two miscreants.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ralph Chaplin’s Ghost
    United States8 days ago
  • Touch Grass

    For those of you complaining about this pod bringing partisan politics into their policies I truly hope that you breathe some air and touch some grass. You spend the time to complain about a pod who talks about direct policies and using their beliefs… just like we all do in almost every part of life. In order to believe something you must have standards. If the standards someone lives by and promotes are different than yours then provide an argument rather than falling into the buzz word complai... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cornelius Pumperdinkle
    United States18 days ago
  • New York Times Resignation

    When is your last day at the Times. I have to assume someone with your high character could no longer stomach being involved with a company that would be so blatantly racist towards the Jewish community.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Don’t want a nick name.
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and debates are highlighted as insightful, with strong advocacy for toward-the-law discussions.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous legal analysis and clear explanations.
Some reviews note uneven pacing or audio issues, but the hosts' expertise is consistently praised.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#31
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#88
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#111
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#172
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#30
Philippines/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#59
Israel/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

SCOTUS Through the Decades | Interview: Nina Totenberg
Q: How has the Court's handling of standing affected real-world cases like the slush fund litigation?
Standing debates show that even with emotionally charged issues, plaintiffs must demonstrate a concrete, legally cognizable injury and direct causation, which complicates efforts to curb executive misappropriations.
SCOTUS Through the Decades | Interview: Nina Totenberg
Q: What made Hamm v. Smith such a landmark in terms of IQ and the death penalty?
The case highlighted the tension between brain-based clinical assessments of culpability and constitutional protections, leading to a holistic, non-per se approach to evaluating multiple IQ scores rather than a single numeric cutoff.
Arguing In Front of SCOTUS | Interview: Lisa Blatt
Q: How do you prepare for the high-stakes, unpredictable environment of Supreme Court oral arguments?
Blatt describes a two-moot process, using aggressive, candid practice to simulate real questioning, and emphasizes maintaining a balance between forceful advocacy and authentic, precise articulation while leveraging appendices for impact.
Arguing In Front of SCOTUS | Interview: Lisa Blatt
Q: Given the Kennedy framework, how should courts treat pre-existing establishment precedents that were built on the Lemon test?
Blatt suggests that while precedents may be on shaky ground if their reasoning relied on Lemon, courts should still apply controlling Supreme Court precedent unless explicitly overturned, evaluating each case on its own merits under Kennedy while remaining mindful of stare decisis.
You Can’t Preach Jesus Here | Interview: Judge Rebecca Taibleson
Q: What is involved in Judge Taibleson's clerk interview process and what makes a good candidate?
Her process emphasizes character, authenticity, and the ability to discuss law clearly, with a mix of legal questions and personality-focused discussion, moderated by clerks.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Advisory Opinions

What is Advisory Opinions about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A legal-focused show that analyzes current court decisions, constitutional questions, and the practical impact of jurisprudence on policy and governance. Hosts break down high-stakes topics with rigorous reasoning, often inviting senior appellate attorneys, judges, and legal scholars to illuminate strategy, doctrine, and real-world implications. Episodes mix deep-dive analysis with accessible explanations, audience questions, and occasional culture-commentary, making complex topics approachable for practitioners and informed lay listeners alike. A notable strength is the combination of legal rigor and clear, pragmatic storytelling, plus regular interviews that offer firsthand perspectives from the Supreme Court ecosystem and policy debates.... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Advisory Opinions?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Advisory Opinions:

1. The Dispatch Podcast
2. The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg
3. GLoP Culture
4. Divided Argument
5. The Editors

How many episodes of Advisory Opinions are there?

Advisory Opinions launched 7 years ago and published 648 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Advisory Opinions?

Recent guests on Advisory Opinions include:

1. Nina Totenberg
2. Neal Katyal
3. Roy Altman
4. Kevin Stitt
5. Akhil Amar
6. Cecilia Wong
7. Chris Christie
8. Rebecca Taibleson

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