Two Balls, One Court

TikTok, Time's Up? Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban as Trump Fights to Save It Jan 22, 2025

The Supreme Court has upheld Congress's law banning TikTok, but there's more developing on the app's future practically every hour. Despite Donald Trump signing an executive order to ban TikTok during his first term, on the first day of his second term, he floated a "50% joint venture" between TikTok and the U.S. government. Congress has no idea how to feel about the national security concerns on both sides of the aisle. Luckily, Dave Ball is just learning the app exists.

Trans Rights on Trial: SCOTUS Hears Tennessee’s Transgender Healthcare Ban for Youth Jan 09, 2025

In United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court takes on a pivotal case challenging Tennessee’s law that bans transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming healthcare, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers. Critics argue the law violates the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, as these same treatments remain available to non-transgender youth for other medical reasons. But the Court’s conservative majority stands poised to roll back access to this care. The question is, how far.

"Pick 'em young": Trump talks Supreme Court on Joe Rogan Podcast Nov 02, 2024

On this episode, John teaches Dave about the magical world of the Joe Rogan podcast, we discuss the state of the race just a few days out from Election Day, and Dave explains how the Supreme Court is getting out so many election rulings using its aptly named "shadow docket."

Trump Receives 'Absolute Immunity,' Biden Gets Older, I Keep Stayin the Same Age Jul 06, 2024

In a move that had most MSNBC hosts trying to jump out of a window, Biden revealed a few umm geriatric tendencies in Thursday's debate, and the Supreme Court gave Donald Trump 'absolute immunity' for much of his presidential acts. This episode, we dig into what that actually means for our democracy and his other court cases.

We also discuss the Chevron case being overturned, which gifted the Federalist society yet another of their largest goals before Project 2025 can be implemented.

Thankfully, Dave Ball had a few optimistic takes around health and safety standards going down at his favorite donut shop.

Decision Season, Part 1: Waiting for the Big Dog Jun 29, 2024

Welcome back listeners!

We're back from a brief hiatus since John started his new job at Inside with Jen Psaki on MSNBC (throw them a follow on social media if you haven't already!)

This episode, we get into all the blockbuster cases released so far -- South Carolina's gerrymandering case, gun bans for domestic abusers, and abortion pills -- but still no decision from the court yet on Trump's "presidential immunity" claim (and two other cases no one cares about).

We'll be recording LIVE for the Trump immunity release, so make sure to tune in for that as well!

Trump's Ballot Eligibility Taken on by Heartthrob Colorado Attorney Feb 19, 2024

There's no cameras allowed in the courtroom. But if there were, let's just say... there wouldn't have been a lot of other news coverage this week.

It's the case we've all been waiting for: whether Donald Trump can be disqualified from running for President.

Orange You Off The Ballot? SCOTUS To Hear Trump Ballot Bans Jan 01, 2024

In historic rulings, state supreme courts in both Colorado and Maine have barred Trump from being on the ballot. Will the Supreme Court intervene? And how will they rule on former President Trump's federal election subversion case? All that and more, this episode.

Bribes, Ethics, and the Future of SCOTUS Sep 24, 2023

We’re back to explore the recent corruption headlines thumping Justice Thomas, his wife, and a major new headliner: Justice Alito! We dive into the billionaire trips, the “non-profit,” and Justice Alito’s “ethic schmethics” response to Congress. We also have updates on the praying football coach after his Supreme Court win (spoiler alert: he lost his football games). Finally, Dave Ball wraps us up with an overview of two upcoming SCOTUS cases: assessing the gun rights of domestic abusers and discrimination in employment transfers. So buckle up, leave a review, and come leave mean comments on TikTok @twoballsonecourt.

This episode was brought to you by "Count Cashula -- The Bribery Vampire," and other Supreme Court mascots generated by ChatGPT.

Decision 2023, Featuring Guest Correspondent Elle Woods Jul 27, 2023

Well, we’ve made it through another year of Supreme Court Decisions. This episode, we’ve had time to go through all several hundred pages of reading for these landmark cases. Thankfully, we have guest analyst Elle Woods to help us break it all down.

(And if you think she sounds not like Elle Woods of Legally Blonde but legendary actress Annalisa Cochrane of Cobra Kai and NBC Peacock’s “One of Us Is Lying,” we have… no idea what you’re talking about)

Goodbye Student Debt Relief, Hello Homophobic Web Designers: 6/30 Livestream Jul 02, 2023

In the final day of decision season 2023, the Supreme Court has released decisions for the Biden student debt relief cases, as well as for the 303 Creative web designer who refused to make wedding websites for gay couples.

We'll have more episodes coming soon analyzing all of the 2023 court decisions including metrics and guest analysts. But for now, we hope you'll spend many years into the future being depressed with us about what this 6-3 conservative court does to our society.

Affirmative Action is No More: 6/29 Livestream Jun 29, 2023

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 this morning to ban the consideration of race in college admissions. The Court's conservative majority, unsurprisingly but still shockingly, said that it was racist to consider race in the admissions process. The Supreme Court did not touch legacy admits in college admissions. We will see what this means moving forward for colleges that still want to achieve a diverse campus environment.

Three Balls, One Court: 6/23 Decision Release Featuring Lisa Ball Jun 27, 2023

This episode, fresh off her submersible news withdrawal, true-crime expert Lisa Ball joins the podcast to share her insight on the Supreme Court's crime cases from this week. Tune in for discussion on an international Russian hit job, an "adult adoption" immigration scam, and a shocking swing from the court to side with Biden on US v. Texas. Also, things get a bit chaotic when John and Zack realize they took a selfie with someone who went on the submersible and lived?? Last, don't forget to leave our podcast a rating if you enjoy :)

6/8 Decision Release Livestream: The Supreme Court Did Something Good??? Also RIP All Poop Jokes Jun 09, 2023

This morning in the Alabama gerrymandering case Allen v Milligan, the Supreme Court ruled that the Alabama’s congressional districts were racistly gerrymandered in violation of the voting rights act. This case had our first big swing votes of the cycle, with Roberts and Kavanaugh siding with the liberals. We'll talk about what this means for other gerrymandering cases this cycle, and most importantly, we'll talk about the sweeping and horrifying judicial overreach of the Supreme Court in deciding that poop-themed Jack Daniel's parody dog toys cannot be freely made.

6/1 Livestream: Dump Your Concrete and Don't Trick Medicare! Jun 01, 2023

The Supreme Court released 3 decisions this morning concerning labor strike protections, stock misinformation, and medicare fraud.

John managed to wake up in-time for this livestream, though his speed-reading skills could use a liiiiittle work.

No major blockbuster decisions today, but the Supreme Court still has THIRTY cases to announce by the end of June. Expect high-stakes livestreams in the coming weeks!

And of course, PLEASE leave a review for our podcast on Spotify/Apple Podcasts! Just a quick star-rating can help us out so much :)

29. “I’m Confused” – The Supreme Court Takes On Big Tech May 31, 2023

Much earlier than expected, the Supreme Court just released its decisions for the cases Google v Gonzalez and Twitter v Taamneh, two of the largest cases concerning “big tech” in decades. For this episode, we did something a little different and brought on tech expert Jess Miers from the Chamber of Progress to share insight on what these cases meant for the future of tech policy, and what it means to “nerd harder.” Tune in to hear us two old goats try to understand algorithms and the internet. More for decision season coming soon.

28. Decision 2023 - Will They Be Hacks or Will They Be Pambies? May 22, 2023

It’s decision season 2023, and in the next few weeks, we can expect rulings on everything from affirmative action to gerrymandering to gay rights and student debt relief. The Supreme Court saves all its decisions to release in May-June, and we'll take you through what we're predicting on a spectrum from "meh" to awful when it comes to this cycle. In the words of Justice Kennedy, after every case, the Supreme Court can be seen as “partisan” or a group of “namby pambies.” Personally, I predict they'll be both. But we'll see how it turns out with my 2023 Supreme Court Bingo card. (This episode recaps all the major issues for cases in the last year).

And for the future, make sure to tune in at 10am Eastern Thursday mornings as we live-stream the Supreme Court's decision release days! They release new verdicts every 10 minutes. It's a lot to get through and we'd love your help speed reading.

Like what you're listening to? Don't forget to rate our podcast, it helps us out so much in the algorithm!

And of course, if you're interested in merch, head on our to the Two Balls, One Court merch store. Send us an email if you'd like a discount :)

27. “Add Ruling to Cart Here” – How One Conservative Group Paid Its Way to Restrict Abortion Pill Access for Women Across the Country May 21, 2023

The theme is money in the court this week as reports have just surfaced that Clarence Thomas has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreported “gifts” from a GOP mega-donor.

And tune in for details on one of the biggest cases of the year: a judge in Texas just ruled to restrict abortion pill access for women across the country. We’ll be following all major updates in this case as it moves its way up to the US Supreme Court and more in this episode.

Annnnd did you share this podcast with your friends and rate us on Spotify/Apple Podcasts? Let me know and I'll send you a free Two Balls, One Court merch item of your choice.

26. The Supreme Court Takes on Poop Jokes in Jack Daniel’s, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC Mar 28, 2023

In this case, Jack Daniel's, Inc. takes on VIP Products for its dog toy: a whiskey bottle for dogs. (You can see the toy here). This toy, a fake whiskey bottle labeled "Bad Spaniel's" is filled, not with whiskey, but with poop. And for VIP, their best-selling product could turn into the most expensive poop joke of all time.

25. Biden Student Debt Relief Program Goes Poof Mar 09, 2023

In one of the biggest cases of the year, the Supreme Court takes on Biden's student debt relief program. Tune in to hear how conservatives decide to squash it on a scale from bug to watermelon-with-a-sledge-hammer, and where that leaves millions of borrowers across America. And most importantly, tune in to hear how this case decision might actually be a blessing in disguise for some borrowers...

Last but not least, as you heard if you tuned into our live, the Two Balls, One Court merch store is now live!! Want a discount? Rate our podcast on Spotify/Apple Podcasts, and we'll send you a code for 20% off your purchase in the merch store! (Promo code only good for the next 7 days).

2/28 Livestream: The Biden Student Debt Relief Case, And Merch Store Is Live!! Mar 06, 2023

Livestream fans, sorry to have kept you waiting, but here is the full stream from our broadcast on the Biden student debt relief cases! A shorter episode on this topic will be coming soon, but this is the place to listen if you want content ASAP on the future of student debt forgiveness in America, which of the justices might be single, a baked goods power ranking of the donut shops near John's apartment, and a debut of the Two Balls, One Court merch store!! (We’ve got mugs, we’ve got totes, we’ve got shirts and more). We had a great time, and a huge congratulations to winstonsmith4, iron_pitt1, and mrspikeydoo for winning the trivia portion of the livestream broadcast. Last but not least, PLEASE RATE our podcast on your preferred streaming app. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’ll really help us out in the algorithm! And, you guessed it, if you send me a screenshot that you rated our podcast 5 stars, message us on our site to get a code for 20% off the 2B1C Merch store. Interested in tuning in for future lives? Just you wait until decision season...

24. "Burn Bags" and the Biden Student Debt Relief Case Feb 07, 2023

This episode, we follow up on our discussion on the SCOTUS Dobbs leak report. For updates, let's just say... it's a good time to dumpster dive right outside the Supreme Court.

And, sadly, the case attempting to overturn the Biden student debt relief program has reached the Supreme Court. How did we get here? It all starts with a man the American Bar Association rated as "too temperamental" to become a judge. But that didn't stop Trump from helping him take the bench...

23. The Dobbs Leak Report, and Official Charges for Alec Baldwin Jan 30, 2023

This episode, the Supreme Court released its memo for the Dobbs leak investigation, John and Dave share their thoughts on how they would've gotten much more info from Supreme Court employees, and John went WAY too deep into the Rust filmset shooting legal rabbit hole. Interested in helping us make more content? Subscribe at our website. Have any merch ideas? Drop us a line. Also, help us keep going viral on TikTok @twoballsonecourt

22. Legal Advice Christmas Special and Biden Immigration Update Jan 05, 2023

Big announcement: we’re in the top 100 government podcasts on Spotify!! As a big thank you to our listeners, please enjoy some complimentary legal advice. Have a legal* question that you need answering? Subscribe and drop us a line at twoballsonecourtpodcast.com. Once again, John's normal rate is $300/hr. So you better get it while it's hot. And, more substantively on immigration, tune in to hear about the Supreme Court's stop of Biden's stop to Trump's immigration stop to stop COVID (but really stop all immigration). That's a lot of stops, hope we can keep track.

21. Rural Gerrymanderers, Beware! Neal Katyal Goes for the Big Dog Dec 13, 2022

In the Supreme Court’s largest gerrymandering case in decades, the North Carolina State Legislature seeks to have SCOTUS defend its gerrymandered maps from being overruled. If North Carolina succeeds, state supreme courts will NO LONGER be able to act as a check on gerrymandering. Does that sound confusing and scary to you? It does for us, too.

Fighting in defense of free and fair elections is Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general under Barack Obama. But we’ll see whether his legal references land with the justices…

20. "The Right to Discriminate" - Colorado Navigates Free Speech for an Anti-Gay Web Designer Dec 09, 2022

In the case of 303 Creative LLC, an anti-gay web designer seeks to protect her right to refuse to make wedding websites for gay couples.

Underscoring debate, Justice Alito brings up "hypotheticals" about his J Date and Ashley Madison profiles, and Justice Sotomayor comments on 303 Creative's low quality wedding web pages.

Two Balls One Court Trailer Dec 07, 2022

Welcome to "Two Balls, One Court," the Supreme Court analysis podcast hosted by John and David Ball. We do deep dives into oral arguments, legal history, and Supreme Court politics like no other Ball-themed legal duo.

19. The Fight for Affirmative Action - Part 3: Squash Be Gone! Nov 29, 2022

In the third and final installment of our affirmative action series, Justice Gorsuch makes VERY clear his thoughts on Harvard's squash team in admissions. Tune in for evidence on Harvard's accused racism towards Asian Americans, and our final predictions on the future of affirmative action in the United States.

18. The Fight For Affirmative Action - Part 2: The Sky Is Falling Nov 20, 2022

Part 2 of our Affirmative Action Series, the US Military weighs in on affirmative action.

17. "Dishonest People" - Election Update for the Country's State Supreme Courts Nov 16, 2022

Tune in for an update on state Supreme Court elections across the country. With how important state courts have become for striking down gerrymandered congressional districts and upholding abortion rights, state supreme court justices have become one of the most important figures on the ballot.

To look at partisan flipping of courts across the country, we used a map provided at this Ballot Pedia link, which you can see if you scroll down to the "changes in partisan control" section.

Also tune in for a teaser on an upcoming case featuring an amicus brief by The Onion humor publication.

16. The Fight for Affirmative Action - Part 1 Nov 10, 2022

In this series, we're looking at two of the court's largest affirmative action cases in decades.

These marathon oral arguments went for 5 hours, so we'll be breaking these two cases (Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard) into multiple episodes.

It's been 20 years since the court's last big affirmative action case, and these cases will likely have drastic effects on college admissions and potentially all policies regarding racial equality for years to come.

15. An Interview With Ohio Supreme Court Justice Brunner, Ohio Supreme Court Special Part 2 Nov 01, 2022

When we started Two Balls, One Court, we knew Supreme Court Justices would be lining up to appear on our podcast. (Kidding).

Tune in for Part 2 of our Ohio Supreme Court special, where we talk about Justice Brunner's upcoming election and some of Ohio's biggest cases. Justice Brunner is currently running for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. She's served Ohio as Secretary of State and a Supreme Court Justice. You can find out more about Justice Brunner's platform at her campaign website here.

And check out our previous episode for background info on the cases we ask her about! (Mostly Ohio's HUGE redistricting case).

14. Two Balls Two Courts: An Ohio Supreme Court Special Nov 01, 2022

Ohio's Supreme Court is dealing with one of the largest gerrymandering cases in the country, and three of its members are up for re-election in just one week.

Despite being a slightly Republican state, Republicans have given themselves a super-majority in our state legislature. Ohio's Supreme Court has declared these maps unconstitutional several times, but -- as always -- the gerrymanderers have many tricks up their sleeves.

We also discuss a surprise ruling by Amy Coney Barrett in favor of President Biden's student loan forgiveness program.

13. Who Are The New Swing Justices On The Court? Aug 25, 2022

This episode, we took a lot at every major swing vote this cycle. We found definitely found some surprises, like Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kavanaugh voting together on literally 100% of cases... and Justice Gorsuch taking a number of stands with both the most liberal and most conservative justices on the court.

We broke down the trends we saw in swing votes this cycle in a cute chart here on our new website, https://twoballsonecourtpodcast.com/. We'd love to have you take a look.

And if you like the podcast, consider subscribing for a chance at FREE LEGAL ADVICE offered LIVE on-air to subscribers.

12. "Out With The Old Boss, In With The New" - Good Luck Gun Reform Aug 15, 2022

In this episode, we talk gun laws after New York State Pistol & Rifle v Bruen, and we rate how well references to The Who go over in dissenting opinions. Also, with how Justice Alito and Justice Breyer write opinions to each other, they should probably get a room.

11. "These Justices Never Played Football In Their Lives" - Kennedy v Bremerton School District Decision Jul 12, 2022

In this episode, we look at the court's opinion, which ruled 6-3 in favor of a high school football coach's right to pray at the 50-yard line after each football game. Exploring the separation of church and state, we call in some expert witnesses to help us sort this one out.

10. Decision Week 2022: "And Then The Bottom Fell Out" Jul 05, 2022

In this episode, we're reacting to five of the court's most significant decisions this cycle. Rulings on everything from climate change regulations, school prayer, immigration law, and abortion rights.

9. 6/24 Livestream - Dobbs Abortion Ban Decision Release Jun 25, 2022

More episodes to come on the groundbreaking decision releases by the court today. For this live stream, the court had scheduled to release seven decisions, but they stopped releasing them immediately after Dobbs' overturn of Roe. Catch our live discussion, and our predictions on the next phases of legal battles to protect abortion rights across the country.

8. NY State Pistol & Rifle v Bruen: Will The Supreme Court Overturn Gun Reform? Jun 17, 2022

In this episode, we discuss the Supreme Court's current framework for analyzing gun control laws, in the largest gun rights case since DC v. Heller. And lastly in the latest installment of Court Flix, we rate both sides' movie references to drive their point home.

7. Two Bells, One Church, and a Football Coach's Right to Pray Jun 02, 2022

In this episode, a high school football coach appeals for his constitutional right to pray at the 50 yard line after school games. But that's not the whole story.

Tune in to hear:

How this coach's prayer caused a stampede that injured half a marching band
Brett Kavanaugh's take on what it takes to make varsity football
And what churches think prayer in school makes God seem lame.

All that and more in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

6. The Big Leak: Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health and a post-Roe America May 15, 2022

Spoiler alert: what these seven Catholics have to say about abortion will SHOCK you. Things are looking pretty bleak for abortion rights in the foreseeable future, but tune in to hear David Ball on how he thinks justice Roberts may have some tricks up his sleeve to pull a vote from the Alito camp.

5. Confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson May 09, 2022

In a historic first, the US Senate has voted 53-47 to confirm the first African American woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the US Supreme Court. But it was no easy path.

Tune in for:

Highlights of the KBJ Confirmation Hearings
Justice KBJ and Ted Cruz’s exchange on whether “babies are racist,” using a copy of a book he obtained by mugging a student at Georgetown Day School
And lastly, predictions on the type of Justice we can expect Justice KBJ to be, based on her rulings in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

4. The Mississippi Abortion Ban: Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health May 09, 2022

In the latest challenge to Roe v. Wade and abortion rights across America, the state of Mississippi has brought a case defending a new law which bans abortion once a pregnancy has reached the post-15 week period. In the words of Mississippi legislators, they’re bringing this case since there are “three new justices” on the court. Analyzing this phrase, Justice Sotomayor puts it best when she asks the question: “will this institution survive the stench” created by overruling 50 years of legal precedent due to partisan pressures? (Spoiler alert: what these seven Catholics have to say about abortion will SHOCK you).

Tune in for:

Updates for the ruling on Jan 8th’s “large employer” Biden vaccine mandate case
Discussion of relevant legal precedent affecting abortion rights
The politics of the Supreme Court during other critical abortion cases in American history
Legal arguments from Commander Waterford of Handmaid’s Tale, arguing on behalf of the state of Mississippi
A complete “tour-de-force” from Justices Sotomayor and Breyer in attempt to save our constitution and the legitimacy of the US Supreme court.
And most importantly for this immediate ruling, predictions on how the three new justices will rule based on their courtroom questioning.
And last but not least, tune in as well for the “Three Balls, One Court” legal analysis section featuring insight from Ohio State nursing student Lisa Ball.

3. Double-Emergency Episode on the Biden Vaccine Mandate May 09, 2022

In one of the most prominent attempts by the Biden administration to curtail the spread of COVID-19 yet, the Biden “large employer” vaccine mandate is set to take effect for all businesses with more than 100 employees. However, it is yet to be seen whether the court’s conservative justices will be willing to acknowledge the Biden administration’s ability to do so. In legal speak, this case reviews the National Federation of Independent Business’s requested “emergency stop” on the “emergency temporary standard” for COVID vaccinations.

This case was discussed in the Supreme Court last Friday January 8th (two days ago) and the mandate is set to take effect Monday (tomorrow!). In this double-emergency episode you’ll hear discussion on:

Justice Gorsuch refusing to wear a mask during oral arguments (we have NO idea how he’ll rule on this case about vaccine mandates),
Justice Alito talking about waving his magic wand,
And - underscoring all of this debate on vaccine mandates - a Justice and an attorney are participating remotely due to potential COVID exposure.

2. US v Zubaydah and US Intelligence In the Post-9/11 Era May 09, 2022

In our post-9/11 world, it’s safe to say that 9/11 gave the CIA complete and total control over the release of any information potentially related to terror. More specifically in this case, the CIA wields “State Secrets Privilege,” which allows the government to withhold any information that comes forward in litigation it suspects could compromise national security. For those interested in the legacy of Guantanamo Bay and what it means for American security in a post-9/11 world, US v. Zubaydah is one of the most prominent challenges to state secrets privilege to date. For more background on Abu Zubaydah, we recommend this article by The Rendition Project. But for this case, the question the court must answer is whether the CIA must confirm details related to the detention of Abu Zubaydah for a legal proceeding in Poland (not even a case in the United States).

Tune in for:

Legal discussion on the “State Secrets Privilege”
Thoughts on American security in the post-9/11 era
How it might feel when a Supreme Court justice calls your argument “farcical”
To put it mildly, fuming, rage from Justice Gorsuch towards one attorney during rebuttal
Last but not least, we rate how well one side’s Murder On the Orient Express reference landed with US Supreme Court Justices

1. Intro and US Supreme Court for Dummies May 09, 2022

It’s not too often you hear audio from cases argued before the Supreme Court. However, as anyone who frequently listens to oral arguments can tell you, it’s some of the best political theater on the planet. In addition to questioning (and sometimes interrogating) attorneys for their legal arguments, members of the court also use this time to sway the opinions of other justices.

Check out the intro to hear about how we’re structuring episodes, goals for the podcast, and more.

I recommend listening to John(me) on at least 1.5x speed

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