Advisory Opinions

Latest Episodes:

Not a MAGA Court Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Elie Honig, CNN’s chief legal analyst, joins David French fresh off jury duty to discuss his piece for New York Magazine on how worried we should be about election challenges ahead of the midterms. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on third-country removals, do some level-setting on the civil lawsuit against Cornell University over an alleged gang rape, and participate in a Star Wars SCOTUS draft.

The Agenda:

–Jury duty hangover

–Immigrants ask Supreme Court to leave ruling in place preventing Trump administration from deporting them to third-party countries

–The Supreme Court Won’t Be Trump’s Election-Theft Lackey

–Jane Doe v. Cornell

–We’re having a draft!

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Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

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Is Press Access a Constitutional Right? Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

David French talks to CNN’s chief legal analyst, Elie Honig, at a time when CNN is in the news following President Donald Trump’s ban of the cable network from the White House. Honig takes us through CNN’s lawsuit seeking to regain access and the First Amendment argument media outlets are making. The two also discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Missouri redistricting case, and Sarah Isgur makes a provocative argument that may trigger any true crime fans.

The Agenda:

–The third time is not the charm in Missouri redistricting map case

–Can the White House ban the press?

–True Crime entertainment is bad

–Thank you, SNL

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Third Time’s the Charm? Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the Missouri redistricting case now that the 8th Circuit has weighed in. Let’s stipulate that everything is a mess. Then, the two go through a few listener mailbag questions, including controversial school murals, marijuana law, and court packing.

The Agenda:

–SCOTUSblog coverage on the redistricting case

–India’s Supreme Court, standing doctrine, and stagnation

–The Rohrabacher–Farr Amendment and David being wrong

–Sarah’s favorite sentence and Judge Jeff Sutton

–Rage bait: Congress is maybe not the problem

–How many justices is too many?

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Are Marijuana Contracts Legal in Federal Court? Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the upcoming “long conference” that marks the unofficial start to the new Supreme Court term, a prosecutor being referred to the Department of Justice for obstruction of justice, and a review of several circuit-court cases, including breaches of contract between marijuana-related businesses. Crime versus commerce reaches the courts.

The Agenda:

–⁠Hello Justice John Marshall⁠

–⁠What is vulgar student speech? ⁠

–“There are only two genders” and race-neutral criteria

–⁠Prosecutor referred to the DOJ⁠

–⁠Hash-ing out business⁠

Advisory Opinions is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—⁠click here⁠. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking Ahead to the Supreme Court Term Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

From the SCOTUSblog Summit, Sarah Isgur, David French, and Amy Howe discuss the cases scheduled thus far for the Supreme Court’s upcoming term. The three discuss the most consequential case for the Trump administration, David throws in a Star Wars reference (at the behest of Sarah!), and Amy answers the most important case question correctly.

The Agenda:

–Decision handed down in Trump’s mail voting case

–What case got dropped this term

–The most important case this term

–Climate change on trial?

–Religious liberty and rolling our eyes at Colorado

–Is Trump going to win this one?

–What’s still to come

Order Sarah’s book here.

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Barely Averting a Constitutional Crisis Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French debate David’s latest New York Times column on the Missouri Supreme Court blocking a congressional map. Then, the two review two law articles: Andy Smarick of the Manhattan Institute’s elegantly simple piece on unenumerated rights, and University of Virginia law professor Caleb Nelson’s amazing yet horrifying publication on the unitary executive.

The Agenda:

–Paying tribute to the victims and those who sacrificed their lives on 9/11

–The redistricting fight that favors Democrats in Missouri

–Andy Smarick: “How Judicial ‘History and Tradition’ Went Wrong”

–Caleb Nelson’s article on the unitary executive

–Is a teacher’s pride flag personal effects?

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Insular Cases | Interview: Chief Judge Jeff Sutton and Neil Weare Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss Supreme Court updates on two cases: preferred advertising rates for political committees and Missouri’s congressional districts. Then, Judge Jeff Sutton, chief judge of the 6th Circuit and No. 1 AO judicial crush, and Neil Weare, co-director of Right to Democracy, join to discuss insular cases and where birthright citizenship stands after Trump v. Barbara.

The Agenda:

–Political campaigns and discounted ad rates

–Chaos in the Missouri congressional map

–Our first Olympian guest

–Background on insular cases

–Trump v. Barbara

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SCOTUS Majority Rules White House Ballroom Is A Go Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the 5-4 ballroom interim docket decision with Chief Justice John Roberts leading the dissenters, the New York Times with a piece on releasing the justice’s papers sooner rather than later, and a piece by Josh Morrow on AI in circuit decisions. And speaking of circuit decisions, Sarah and David discuss a few, including the Vacancies Reform Act and the 26th Amendment.

The Agenda:

–Goodbye East Wing

–Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife

–Will Baude on esthetic injuries

–Should the justices release their papers sooner?

–Should this actually be happening

–South Carolina’s voting law is unconstitutional

–Update on Vacancies Reform Act

Show Notes:

–David Lat’s Substack

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Has the First Amendment Ever Been More Relevant? Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French pick through a trail mix of topics for this week’s episode. The two discuss bracelet-wearing parents at a soccer game, student visas being revoked over bad speech, and classified information being printed. But they kick it off with a big “Sarah got it wrong.”

The Agenda:

–Sarah got it wrooooooong

–Breaking news and the mail-in ballot decision

–Pentagon leaks and the Washington Post

–FIRE’s win and student visas

–Felons can vote in Minnesota

–Trans athletes and pink bracelets

–James O’Keefe and pretty interns

–Predicting SCOTUS cases

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How to Fix Congress | Interview: Rep. Jake Auchincloss Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Isgur and David French invite real life Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts to discuss how to reform Congress, explain multi-member districting, and wtalk about hether the Supreme Court needs more justices. But first, forging Justice John Robert’s signature and fake arresting teenagers.

The Agenda:

–Bad criming

–Even if a judge is in judges robes, they’re not always a judge

–All the headlines are wrong (except ours)

–Who wrote the Per Curiam?

–Reforms to the Supreme Court

–Are your kids violent?

Order Sarah’s book here.

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