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Artwork for Opening Arguments
Supreme Court
Trump Administration
ICE
Donald Trump
Jeffrey Epstein
Immigration Law
Department Of Justice
First Amendment
Contract Law
Ghislaine Maxwell
Disability Rights
Bar Exam
Miranda Rights
Antifa
Immigration Policy
Solitary Confinement
Birthright Citizenship
Eric Adams
Executive Orders
Charlie Kirk

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!... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1262Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Artwork for Opening Arguments

Latest Episodes

OA1280 - Peter O’Neil was preparing for retirement after decades of practicing law when he learned that he was autistic at the age of 65. This realization inspired his memoir My So-Called Disorder: Autism, Exploding Trucks, and the Big Daddy of Rock ... more

OA1279 - This week on Rapid Response Friday: A federal judge rips up the corrupt “settlement” Trump reached with his own IRS at the unprecedented request of a group of 35 former federal judges just in time time for aspiring Attorney General Todd Blan... more

VR38 - This week in Vapid Response Thomas, Lydia, and Matt review some truly awful takes from a MAGA economist on the true cause of low crime rates, Rep. Nancy Mace on her extremely real and not-at-all-racist concerns about the dangers of judges with... more

OA1278 - On its face, the decision in Watson is a pretty narrow ruling. Some states allow ballots postmarked on or before election day, but arriving after election day, to be counted. The court decided they can continue to do so.

But at stake was s... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Peter Kanellis
Author; discussed in book-club segment
Episode: The New Cover on Alito's TPS Reports Is for Racism
Unspecified patrons/readers
Patrons discussed during book club sections
Episode: The New Cover on Alito's TPS Reports Is for Racism
Xavier de Janon
Movement lawyer featured in the episode
Movement Lawyering/Prairieland case
Episode: Prairieland - 30 Years for Moving Magazines. These Are Real Human Lives, Ruined.
Peter Canellos
Author, editor at Politico; biographer of Samuel Alito
Politico
Episode: Why Is Alito Like This? with Peter Canellos
Sherise Doyley
Pregnant patient discussed in the ProPublica clip
Hospital case subject
Episode: Woman in Labor Spent 3 Hours Fighting a Judge on Zoom to Avoid a Forced C-Section
Ian Crossland
Guest introduced as a speaker on Tim Pool-related discussions
Episode: MAGA Says the ’60s Were Too Woke and Wants Racial Immigration Quotas Back
Todd Blanche
Attorney representing prosecutors/defense in Comey-related matters
Blanche Law (as referenced in discussion)
Episode: James Comey, Seashell Assassin
Matthew Bergman
Founder, Social Media Victims Law Center
Social Media Victims Law Center
Episode: Is Social Media the Asbestos of the Internet? with Matthew Bergman
Sean Fleetwood
Staff writer for The Federalist, invited guest
The Federalist
Episode: Go to Hell, Swalwell.

Hosts

Thomas Smith
Host of Opening Arguments; long-running legal analyst and commentator.
Matt Cameron
Co-host providing legal analysis and breakdowns; real-life attorney.
Lydia Smith
Producer/Co-host; handles production and on-air banter.

Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars from 6.6k ratings
  • Please stop the Irish jokes

    I'm a fan!

    I know the anti-Irish comments are just jokes but you may be alienating part of your audience.

    Also it would be great if the attorney could speak more loudly and clearly.

    Thanks for keeping tabs on the U.S. legal system and explaining it so well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Woodland Creature Trash Panda
    United States2 months ago
  • Educational and hysterical

    I love everything about the show. It’s funny but it breaks things down so that way it’s easily digestible for people that don’t understand how convoluted and complicated legal terminology and procedures can be. Thomas ranting and being angry about something every episode makes me giggle and yet I completely identify with his anger and frustration and so it is all entirely relatable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Casey Marie's Music
    United States4 months ago
  • Very happy to see the return of OA and introduction of Matt. It is hard to overlook the difference in volume in voices, however...Matt speaks softly and Thomas's nasally, brash voice is irritating. To Thomas: love ya dude, but PLEASE speak about 50% less, and whenever you're about to go into one of your stream of consciousness things - just don't. It will save all the editing you do. And quit interrupting Lydia! She's way nicer to listen to and has lots of information to share.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    TheRealMister-K
    5 months ago
  • Totally normal amount of ads

    It’s 3 ad breaks for an hour show. That’s absolutely normal or below normal. It’s almost like a bunch of people want to just lie about the show for some reason.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Serious Pod
    United States7 months ago
  • Adds and Asses

    Ten minutes of adds, ten minute of l vacuous vamping and snark as an intro, and then another ad break? This has to be the least idea-rich podcast in the category. Congrats, folks.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mark Bobster
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many enjoy the mix of deep-dive legal analysis and commentary on current events.
Audience notes a heavy ad load at times but praise the host banter and insight.
Listeners appreciate clear legal explanations paired with humor.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#152
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#196
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#221
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#20
Singapore/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#63
Colombia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#91
Singapore/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Is Alito Like This? with Peter Canellos
Q: Can you just give some background here?
Canellos explains his background as a journalist who has studied and written about the conservative legal movement and Sam Alito, and describes how his prior books and research shaped the framing of Revenge for the Sixties as a biography of Alito and a broader study of the movement.
Did Trump’s DHS Just End Green Cards? Not Exactly.
Q: Who is most affected by the memo according to the hosts?
The discussion suggests spouses and close relatives of U.S. citizens, people with dual intent visas, and individuals who overstayed visas could be significantly affected, with potential burdens such as needing to leave the U.S. to process visas and risk of long re-entry bars, depending on individual circumstances.
Did Trump’s DHS Just End Green Cards? Not Exactly.
Q: What does the memo actually say about adjustment of status and its relation to consular processing?
The hosts explain that adjustment of status remains a discretionary process governed by the INA, not an automatic entitlement, and it is not meant to override or eliminate the regular consular processing pathway; the memo emphasizes discretion and administrative grace, but does not declare a universal requirement to process residency abroad.
Is Social Media the Asbestos of the Internet? with Matthew Bergman
Q: What safeguards or changes do you see as most feasible to reduce harm without destroying the internet?
Practical steps include turning off addictive algorithms, avoiding gratuitous gamification, implementing real age verification, providing clear warnings about risks, and educating families on safe online practices while preserving free expression.
Is Social Media the Asbestos of the Internet? with Matthew Bergman
Q: Could you explain how this California win changes the way courts view social media liability compared to Section 230 protections?
It reframes the issue from a content-based immunity to a design-based product liability, showing that when platforms design features to maximize engagement with vulnerable users, they can be held liable even if third-party content is involved.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Opening Arguments

What is Opening Arguments about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, law-focused show that breaks down complex legal developments and current events with wit and accessible analysis. Episodes frequently blend courtroom concepts, constitutional debates, and high-profile cases with pop-culture references and humor, making intricate topics more digestible for a broad audience. Notable strengths include a dynamic host duo bolstered by legal analysts, a willingness to tackle timely political and policy questions, and a format that alternates between deep dives, rapid responses, and audience-driven segments. The show likely stands out for its energetic delivery, practical explanations of legal procedures, and punchy takes on contemporary issues, which can be appealing to legal professionals, policymakers,... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Opening Arguments?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Opening Arguments:

1. Where There's Woke
2. Law and Chaos
3. The Skepticrat
4. Dear Old Dads
5. Cognitive Dissonance

How many episodes of Opening Arguments are there?

Opening Arguments launched 10 years ago and published 1262 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 Opening Arguments?

Recent guests on Opening Arguments include:

1. Peter Kanellis
2. Unspecified patrons/readers
3. Xavier de Janon
4. Peter Canellos
5. Sherise Doyley
6. Ian Crossland
7. Todd Blanche
8. Matthew Bergman

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