Government

Oral Arguments, with Context

Real court arguments, crisp audio, with context. Court recordings can be difficult to follow, and many suffer from poor audio quality. This podcast enhances the audio, provides a brief introduction to each case, and explains legal concepts that may be unfamiliar to some listeners. We hope these enhancements make oral argument recordings easier to understand, more accessible, and more enjoyable to listen to. Recordings come from the courts’ own public releases; Supreme Court timing is derived locally from the Court’s official transcript and audio.

Latest Episodes:

Shared Partnership v. Meta Platforms, Inc. — 9th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit considers whether Shared Partnership waited too long to sue Meta over Facebook advertising policies. Shared says Meta promised useful reasons when ads were rejected but knowingly could not deliver them, and that each later ad purchase created a timely claim. Meta says Shared suspected the alleged problem years before suing, kept buying ads anyway, and cannot revive claims based on Facebook's removal of its pages. Shared Partnership v. Meta Platforms, Inc. (No. 25-2612) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/12/25-2612.mp3 Argument listing — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-2612&hearingDate=2026-08-12 Summary-judgment order — Northern District of California: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-cand-3_22-cv-02366/pdf/USCOURTS-cand-3_22-cv-02366-14.pdf Order on Meta's motion to dismiss — Northern District of California: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-cand-3_22-cv-02366/pdf/USCOURTS-cand-3_22-cv-02366-0.pdf Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/

Center for Biological Diversity v. EPA — 9th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit reviews EPA's 2026 Pesticide General Permit, which covers certain pesticide discharges where EPA is the permitting authority. The Center for Biological Diversity challenges the permit, arguing that EPA let most covered operators avoid notices and annual reports and chose visual monitoring that may miss delayed harm. EPA says it reasonably limited reporting to larger dischargers, weighed the burden of collecting more information, and added water-quality safeguards to pesticide-label requirements. Center for Biological Diversity v. EPA (No. 25-2738) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/12/25-2738.mp3 Argument listing — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-2738&hearingDate=2026-08-12 Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/ Appellate docket mirror — Justia: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca9/25-2738 Filed petition for review: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/environmental_health/pdfs/04.30.2025-EPA-Pesticide-general-permit-Petition-for-Review.pdf Center's case announcement: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/lawsuit-challenges-epas-failure-to-protect-people-wildlife-from-pesticides-applied-to-water-2025-05-01/ 2026 Pesticide General Permit — EPA: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/pesticide-permitting-2026-pesticide-general-permit 2026 permit fact sheet — EPA: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-12/2026-pgp-factsheet.pdf NPDES overview — EPA: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/about-npdes 5 U.S.C. § 706 — U.S. House of Representatives: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:5%20section:706%20edition:prelim) Motor Vehicle Manufacturers v. State Farm — GovInfo: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-463/pdf/USREPORTS-463-29.pdf Allison LaPlante — Center for Biological Diversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/staff/

Washington v. Commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections — 11th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Eleventh Circuit reviews Charlie Washington's federal habeas challenge to his Alabama death sentence. Washington says his trial lawyers failed to investigate and present available mitigation before the jury recommended death by a ten-to-two vote. Alabama says the omitted evidence was weak or damaging and the sentencing judge later said it would not have changed the sentence. The court also considers Washington's claim that AEDPA deference to state-court rulings violates Article Three after Loper Bright; Alabama and the United States defend the statute. Washington v. Commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections (No. 24-13905) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral_argument_recordings/24-13905_08122026.mp3 Argument record — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/node/7108 Special-hearing calendar — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/special_hearings/24-13905_CAL_CWashington.pdf Special-hearing page — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/node/7049 Federal habeas decision — Middle District of Alabama: https://ecf.almd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2014cv0060-59 Certificate-of-appealability order — Middle District of Alabama: https://ecf.almd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2014cv0060-74 State post-conviction decision — Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals: https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/court-of-appeals-criminal/2012/cr-07-1351.html Mitigation scholars' amicus brief: https://www.macarthurjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Washington_Amicus-Brief.pdf 28 U.S.C. § 2254 — U.S. House of Representatives: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title28-section2254 Strickland v. Washington — Library of Congress: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep466/usrep466668/usrep466668.pdf Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo — Supreme Court: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-451_7m58.pdf Published-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-published-opinions Unpublished-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-unpublished-opinions

Alaska Community Action on Toxics v. EPA — 9th Cir. (Aug 13, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit considers three consolidated challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency's 2024 new-chemicals rule. Alaska Community Action on Toxics and Environmental Defense Fund say persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals—which resist breakdown and build up in living things—should not qualify for faster exemptions based on low volume or low exposure. The United Auto Workers says the agency ignored its proposal for confidential worker access to new-chemical information. The agency says it reviews exemptions individually, requires written approval before manufacture, and the union's proposal was outside this rulemaking. Alaska Community Action on Toxics v. EPA (No. 25-158) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 13, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/13/25-158.mp3 Argument record — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-158&hearingDate=2026-08-13 Challenged rule — Federal Register: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-18/pdf/2024-28870.pdf Environmental petitioners' opening brief: https://www.verdantlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/pbts-petitioner-brief.pdf United Auto Workers opening brief: https://www.verdantlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Alaska-Community-Action-on-Toxics-v.-EPA-UAW-opening-brief.pdf Toxic Substances Control Act § 5 — U.S. House: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title15-section2604 PBT chemicals — EPA: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/policy-statement-new-chemicals Premanufacture notices — EPA: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/basic-information-review-new Article III standing — Constitution Annotated: https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S2-C1-1/ALDE_00013375/ Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/

United States v. Thomas Addaquay, Appellant — 11th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Eleventh Circuit hears Thomas Addaquay's consolidated appeals from convictions in two fraud cases and a combined sentence of one hundred fifty months. The discussion centers on the stolen-identity tax-refund case, where a jury convicted him of twenty-nine fraud-related counts. The argument concerns that verdict and the loss calculation used at sentencing. United States v. Thomas Addaquay, Appellant (No. 25-10609 & 25-10611) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral_argument_recordings/25-10609_08122026%20%26%2025-10611_08122026.mp3 Argument record — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings?title=25-10609 Argument calendar and panel — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral_arguments/cal22%28panelrelease%29.pdf Conviction summary — U.S. Attorney's Office: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-man-convicted-laundering-over-12-million-stolen-identity-tax-refund-fraud Sentencing summary — U.S. Attorney's Office: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-man-sentenced-150-months-prison-fraud-schemes District-court record — GovInfo: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-gand-1_20-cr-00126/pdf/USCOURTS-gand-1_20-cr-00126-1.pdf Proffer agreements — U.S. Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/osg/brief/krilich-v-united-states-opposition-2 Proffer meetings — Eighth Circuit: https://ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/03/06/022670U.pdf Pinkerton v. United States — U.S. Reports: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep328/usrep328640/usrep328640.pdf Pinkerton instruction — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/courtdocs/clk/FormCriminalPatternJuryInstructionsCurrentComplete.pdf Published-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-published-opinions Unpublished-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-unpublished-opinions

Bradshaw v. Dahlstrom — 9th Cir. (Aug 13, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit hears Ryan Bradshaw's appeal from the dismissal of his damages suit against two Alaska corrections commissioners. When he was sentenced, Alaska gave probationers thirty days of credit for every thirty compliant days. A later law barred people convicted of felony assault from earning those credits. Bradshaw says applying that change to him extended his probation by eighteen months and violated the Ex Post Facto Clause, which bars retroactive increases in punishment. The district court dismissed the claim, finding that prior decisions had not clearly established the change as unconstitutional, and therefore gave the commissioners qualified immunity from damages. Bradshaw will rely on Supreme Court prison-credit cases; the commissioners will say those cases did not concern probation. Bradshaw v. Dahlstrom (No. 25-4165) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 13, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/13/25-4165.mp3 Argument record — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-4165&hearingDate=2026-08-13 District-court order — GovInfo: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-akd-3_24-cv-00266/pdf/USCOURTS-akd-3_24-cv-00266-0.pdf Senate Bill 91 — Alaska Legislature: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/29?Root=SB++91 House Bill 49 — Alaska Legislature: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/31?Hsid=HB0049Z Weaver v. Graham — U.S. Reports: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep450/usrep450024/usrep450024.pdf Smith v. Doe — U.S. Reports: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep538/usrep538084/usrep538084.pdf Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/ Memorandum search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/memoranda/

Fields v. Howse — 11th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The Eleventh Circuit hears an early appeal by Gwinnett County police officers in Kirk Fields's civil-rights case. Fields alleges that officers falsely arrested him during two encounters and abandoned or destroyed his belongings. The district court let several false-arrest and property claims continue. The officers will seek qualified immunity, which can shield officials from damages unless they violated clearly established federal law. They will ask the court to reject parts of Fields's account based on body-camera recordings; Fields will answer that the court must accept allegations the recordings do not clearly contradict. Before reaching the merits, the panel must decide which issues it may review before final judgment. Fields v. Howse (No. 25-11639) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral_argument_recordings/25-11639_08122026.mp3 Argument record — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings?title=25-11639 Appellate docket — Justia: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca11/25-11639 District-court order — Fields v. Howse: https://app.midpage.ai/document/fields-v-howse-1000440025986 Interlocutory immunity appeals — Eleventh Circuit: https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202210927.pdf Garcia v. Casey — Eleventh Circuit: https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202113632.pdf Butler v. Smith — Eleventh Circuit: https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202211141.pdf Published-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-published-opinions Unpublished-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/search-unpublished-opinions

Raposo v. United States — 9th Cir. (Aug 12, 2026) Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit reviews a medical-malpractice judgment from Alaska. Alexa Raposo and Zachary Thornton sued the United States after their minor child was injured during delivery. The district court found a government doctor reckless and awarded damages. The appeal concerns that recklessness finding and how the court calculated damages. Raposo v. United States (No. 25-4752) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 12, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/12/25-4752.mp3 Argument record — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-4752&hearingDate=2026-08-12 Appellate docket — Justia: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca9/25-4752 District-court docket — Justia: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/alaska/akdce/3%3A2023cv00157/71768 District-court findings summary — Growth Intelligence: https://growthintelligence.health/ Alaska Statute 09.17.040 — Alaska Legislature: https://www.akleg.gov/statutesPDF/Title-9.pdf Present-value instruction — Ninth Circuit: https://www3.ce9.uscourts.gov/jury-instructions/node/109 Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/ Memorandum search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/memoranda/

J.L. Minerals v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue — 11th Cir. (Aug 13, 2026) Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

The Eleventh Circuit reviews the value of a conservation easement donated by J.L. Minerals. The easement permanently limits the land's use while J.L. Minerals keeps ownership, and its lost value may qualify for a charitable deduction. The Tax Court sharply reduced the claimed deduction and imposed a 40 percent valuation penalty after rejecting kaolin mining as the property's likely near-term use. The appeal asks whether the Tax Court ignored material evidence and used the wrong valuation method. J.L. Minerals v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (No. 25-11085) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, argued August 13, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral_argument_recordings/25-11085_08132026.mp3 Argument record — Eleventh Circuit: https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings?page=0 Tax Court docket and opinion — U.S. Tax Court: https://dawson.ustaxcourt.gov/case-detail/17076-21 Appeal record — U.S. Tax Court: https://ustaxcourt.gov/files/documents/appellate_report_april_2025.pdf Appellate docket — Justia: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca11/25-11085 26 U.S.C. § 170 — U.S. House of Representatives: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title26-section170 Conservation easements — Internal Revenue Service: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/conservation-easements David D. Aughtry — Chamberlain Hrdlicka: https://www.chamberlainlaw.com/people-david_aughtry_tax_controversy_attorney.html David D. Aughtry — Chambers: https://chambers.com/lawyer/david-d-aughtry-usa-5%3A174490 Published-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/logname.php Unpublished-opinion search — Eleventh Circuit: https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/logname.php

United States v. Nason — 9th Cir. (Aug 13, 2026) Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

The Ninth Circuit hears Matthew Nason's appeal from his conviction and ten-year sentence for assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. A jury found that he fired a handgun toward a deputy U.S. marshal who was serving arrest warrants at Nason's Reno home. The argument asks whether the jury instructions went beyond the indictment and whether the sentencing judge adequately supported the aggravated-assault guideline. United States v. Nason (No. 25-1655) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued August 13, 2026. Sources: Argument audio — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/media/2026/08/13/25-1655.mp3 Argument record — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/streams-videos/archive?case=25-1655&hearingDate=2026-08-13 Case calendar — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cases/calendar/calendar-search?input-search-case=25-1655 Appellate docket — Docket Alarm: https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/US_Court_of_Appeals_Ninth_Circuit/25-1655/United_States_of_America_v._Nason/ District-court docket — Docket Alarm: https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Nevada_District_Court/3--22-cr-00017/USA_v._Nason/ Trial and conviction — U.S. Attorney's Office: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/jury-convicts-reno-man-assaulting-federal-officer Sentence and case background — U.S. Attorney's Office: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/reno-man-sentenced-10-years-prison-assaulting-federal-officer-during-arrest-0 18 U.S.C. § 111 — U.S. House of Representatives: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:111%20edition:prelim) Constructive amendment — Ninth Circuit (Ward): https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2014/04/03/12-50536.pdf Constructive amendment — Ninth Circuit (Soto-Barraza): https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2020/01/17/15-10586.pdf Plain-error review — Ninth Circuit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/uploads/guides/stand_of_review/II.%20Criminal%20Proceedings%202022.htm Plain-error review — Supreme Court (Puckett): https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/boundvolumes/556bv.pdf Opinion search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/opinions/ Memorandum search — Ninth Circuit: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/decisions/memoranda/

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Oral Arguments, with Context

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected