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Law and Chaos — Government
Law and Chaos

Ignorance of the law is no excuse! That’s true for a traffic stop, and it’s true if you want to participate in whatever’s left of American democracy. If the events since the 2016 election taught us anything, it’s that tuning out is not an option. Legal journalists Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez break down the week’s most important courtroom stories, so you can keep on top of this crazy news cycle. Whether it’s Texas giving two middle fingers to the Supreme Court, or Donald Trump in all the courts at once, we’ve got you covered.

Copyright: © 2026

Latest Episodes:

Ep 126 — SCOTUS Decides Maybe There Is Something In The Constitution About Due Process After All Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

The Trump administration spent the weekend trying hard to rendition immigrants to foreign gulags. But Supreme Court took some baby steps this weekend toward maybe possibly doing their damn jobs and ensuring that the rule of law survives. And in the biggest surprise since the stock market dropping like a rock on news of crippling tariffs on China, Pete Hegseth is texting war plans AGAIN. And for subscribers, Harvard University sues the Trump administration.

Links:

D.V.D. v. Homeland Security (Notice of Removal to Third Country) [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69775896/dvd-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/

AFGE, AFL-CIO v. Office of Personnel Management [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69655364/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-united-states/

President and Fellows of Harvard College v. US Department of Health and Human Services

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69921962/president-and-fellows-of-harvard-college-v-us-department-of-health-and/

American Oversight v. Hegseth [Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/

A.A.R.P. (W.M.M.) v. Trump [SCOTUS Docket]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a1007.html

W.M.M. (A.A.R.P.) v. Trump [Trial Docket via Court Listener]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69898198/wmm-v-donald-j-trump/

A.A.R.P. (W.M.M.) v. Trump [Fifth Circuit Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69913684/aarp-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 125 — Trial Judges Stand Up As SCOTUS Cowers Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

Chief Justice Roberts and the howler monkeys rolled over and played dead. But lower court judges understand the assignment, including Fourth Circuit Judge Harvie Wilkinson, a conservative icon. He read Trump — and implicitly the Supreme Court — for filth. But will it be enough? Liz and Andrew discuss the latest developments in the Salvadoran rendition cases. Plus, Trump moves to put US taxpayers on the hook for the E. Jean Carroll verdict.

Links:

Abrego Garcia v. Noem [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/

Abrego Garcia v. Noem [Fourth Circuit Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69902650/kilmar-abrego-garcia-v-kristi-noem/

Noem v. Abrego Garcia [SCOTUS Docket]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a949.html

J.G.G. v. Trump [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/

J.G.G. v. Trump [SCOTUS Docket]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html

Carroll v. Trump [Second Circuit Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68985738/carroll-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 124 — So Much For SCOTUS's Brilliant Plan To Head Off That Judicial Crisis Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

If Chief Justice Roberts thought he was going to protect the judiciary by throwing trial judges under the bus, he was spectacularly mistaken. The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is hurtling toward contempt proceedings, with the government in open defiance of the court's order to un-kidnap him. And meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi is running the Justice Department like an arm of the Trump campaign. And for subscribers: Trump steals lunch from poor kids in Maine because the state's governor is nice to trans kids in accordance with Maine law. The state is suing, in a test case for the administration's plan to use tax dollars as a cudgel to force social policy without having to pass laws.

Links:

AP v. Budowich [DC Circuit Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69869862/associated-press-v-taylor-budowich/

AP v. Budowich [DC District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69662918/associated-press-v-budowich/

Susman Godfrey LLP v. Trump [Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69881953/susman-godfrey-llp-v-executive-office-of-the-president

US v. Smirnov [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68254959/united-states-v-smirnov

US v. Smirnov [Circuit Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69605315/united-states-of-america-v-smirnov/

US v. Mangione [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69486519/united-states-v-mangione/

US v. Villatoro Santos [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69804416/united-states-v-villatoro-santos/

Abrego Garcia v. Noem [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/

Maine v. USDA [District Docket]

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69853711/state-of-maine-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 123 — SCOTUS Will Protect Due Process. A Little Bit. If It Has To. Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

The Supreme Court had two big immigration rulings this week on deportees to the Salvadoran gulag prison: One terrible and one … marginally okay. Meanwhile at the White House, Tariff Man is running amok! Luckily, he extorted hundreds of millions of dollars worth of big firm billable hours to defend the government. But not from Susman Godfrey, the target of his latest wildly illegal executive order.

Links:

Tech Policy Podcast with Corbin Barthold (Liz and Andrew guest appearance)

https://podcast.techfreedom.org/episodes/403-the-constitutional-crisis

Abrego Garcia v. Noem (D.Md. docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/

Abrego Garcia (SCOTUS Docket)

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a949.html

Perkins Coie Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/

J.G.G. v. Trump (SCOTUS docket)

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html

SCOTUS: Rendition Is Fine Actually

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/scotus-rendition-is-fine-actually

Jenner & Block Docket

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278932/

J.A.V. v. Trump (S.D. Texas docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69862833/jav-v-trump/

G.F.F. v. Trump (S.D.N.Y. docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69857769/gff-v-trump/

Susman Godfrey EO

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/modernizing-defense-acquisitions-and-spurring-innovation-in-the-defense-industrial-base-5

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 122 — Hang Together or Hang Separately (feat. Ken White) Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

Liz and Andrew sit down with fellow legal podcaster Ken White, AKA "Popehat," to discuss the Trump administration's attack on law firms. Who's fighting? Who's folding? And who's f—ed? Plus an update on the case of the Maryland man deported to a torture prison in El Salvador, and the legal effort to get him home. And for subscribers: The DC Circuit considers if Humphreys Executor is dead, or just mostly dead?

Links:

Serious Trouble Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/serious-trouble/id1630160928

Wilcox docket (DC Cir)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69714705/gwynne-wilcox-v-donald-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

Abrego Garcia v Noem Docket (4th Cir)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69847836/kilmar-abrego-garcia-v-kristi-noem/

Perkins Coie Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/

Jenner & Block Docket

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278932/

WilmerHale Docket

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278933/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 121 — Trump's Tariff Math … It's Dumber Than You Think Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

Why does the President of the United States not know what tariffs are, why does he want to crash the world economy, and can he do any of it? We answer as many of those questions as we can. Come for phi times epsilon times m sub i, stay for the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917. Plus! Judge James Boasberg in D.C. is NOT HAPPY the administration flouted his orders and intends to figure out who was responsible and why. Also, things are about to get ugly at the D.C. Circuit.

Links:

DC Circuit Local Rules

https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/sites/cadc/files/rules-RulesFRAP20241212c.pdf

Trump Tariff EO

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/regulating-imports-with-a-reciprocal-tariff-to-rectify-trade-practices-that-contribute-to-large-and-persistent-annual-united-states-goods-trade-deficits/

Trump Annex I to Tariff EO

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Annex-I.pdf

USTR on how tariffs are calculated

https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/reciprocal-tariff-calculations

The Economist, "President Trump's Mindless Tariffs Will Cause Economic Havoc"

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc

Forbes, "How Much Would An iPhone Cost If Apple Were Forced to Make it In America?"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/01/17/how-much-would-an-iphone-cost-if-apple-were-forced-to-make-it-in-america/

Emily Ley Paper Inc. v. Trump

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69842090/emily-ley-paper-inc-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 120 — All The President's Restraining Orders Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

Time to round up the latest in lawsuits against the Trump administration. The trans military ban is blocked. Renditioning Venezuelans to El Salvador without due process is blocked. The shutdown of the CFPB is blocked. The shutdown of the US Inst of Peace … not blocked. Yet! Liz and Andrew run down a bunch of the Trump cases and explain why it seems like every day brings another restraining order. (Hint: It's because Trump wants to do lots of illegal stuff in a hurry.)

Links:

Name & Shame

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/name-and-shame

Shilling v. Trump Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/

Jenner & Block v. DOJ Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807126/jenner-block-llp-v-us-department-of-justice/

WilmerHale v. Executive Office of the President Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69807328/wilmer-cutler-pickering-hale-and-dorr-llp-v-executive-office-of-the/

Georgetown students' letter to Skadden

https://bsky.app/profile/heidilifeldman.bsky.social/post/3llon26enmc2o

US v. Sanders (5th Cir. 2025)

https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/15/15-31114-CR0.pdf

Eakin v. Adams County Board of Elections Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/65738841/eakin-v-adams-county-board-of-elections/

J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/

Trump v. JGG (SCOTUS Docket)

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24a931.html

US Institute for Peace v. Jackson Docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/

NTEU v. Vought (DDC docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69624423/national-treasury-employees-union-v-vought/?

NTEU v. Vought (DC Cir Appeal)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69821739/national-treasury-employees-union-v-russell-vought/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 119 — But Her Signal Messages Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Trump hand-picked his national security team to troll the libs, and boy did he get us good. From Pete Hegseth to Tulsi Gabbard to John Ratcliffe, each pick seemed more incompetent than the last. But are they also criminals? We break down all the criminal, civil, and record-keeping issues in Signalgate. Also: we've got good news from the D.C. Circuit as a conservative panel declines to hand Trump the unreviewable power to deport anyone, anywhere under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Things are… maybe looking up?

Links:

J.G.G. v. Trump (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Alien Enemies Act) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/

J.G.G. v. Trump (DC Circuit) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69742127/jgg-v-donald-trump/

American Oversight v. Hegseth (D.D.C. - Judge Boasberg - Signalgate) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/

Shilling v. Trump (W.D. Wash - trans military ban) docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69617888/shilling-v-trump/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 118 — Trump v. Rule of Law Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

It's another week in paradise with the Trump administration trying to burn down the government. First we'll talk about the attack on law firms and judges, then we've got a breakdown of the newest executive order on immigration silos. You know when they try to hide crazy sh*t under the most boring, generic label ever. It's that! Plus subscribers get a visit with Dinesh D'Souza.

Links:

Perkins Coie v. DOJ docket

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69725919/perkins-coie-llp-v-us-department-of-justice

JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump

Does 1-26 v. Musk [Docket]

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.576293

The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/

Presidential Proclamation on information silos

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/

"Fact Sheet"

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-eliminates-information-silos-to-stop-waste-fraud-and-abuse-60f3/

OMB Data on Improper Payments

https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/briefing-room/2024/11/27/omb-releases-annual-data-showing-lowest-government-wide-improper-payment-rate-since-2014/

https://www.paymentaccuracy.gov/payment-accuracy-the-numbers/

GAO Report on Improper Payments

https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106927.pdf

PIIA

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-III/chapter-33/subchapter-IV

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

Ep 117 — DOGE Destroys Another Agency As DOJ Courts Contempt (Ft. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick) Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Musk's fash-coders take out the US Institute for Peace. Mahmoud Khalil's case gets transferred to New Jersey. And the DOJ is daring the court to find it in contempt in the case of the kidnapped Venezuelans. Plus, we have the second half of our interview with immigration expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick.

Links:

JGG v. Trump (DC) docket (removal under the Alien Enemies Act)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump

US Institute for Peace v. Jackson (docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69754533/united-states-institute-of-peace-v-jackson/

Khalil v. Joyce (docket)

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69719040/khalil-v-joyce/

Show Links:

https://www.lawandchaospod.com/

BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod

Threads: @LawAndChaosPod

Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod

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