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    Government

    Unwritten Law

    Every day, unelected federal agencies make decisions that affect your job, your business, your speech, your property, and your constitutional rights—often without Congress ever voting on them. From the rules that govern small businesses to the regulations that shape everyday life, the modern administrative state reaches further than most Americans realize.

    On Unwritten Law, constitutional lawyers Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione break down the biggest legal battles involving federal agencies, government overreach, and the Constitution. Each episode explores real cases challenging the expanding power of the administrative state, explaining how these disputes affect ordinary Americans, businesses, and the future of limited government.

    Whether the topic is the Supreme Court, free speech, property rights, due process, jury trials, executive power, or the separation of powers, Unwritten Law explains the legal issues behind today’s biggest constitutional debates in clear, accessible language. You’ll hear directly from the attorneys litigating landmark cases, as well as clients whose lives and livelihoods have been changed by unlawful government action.

    Produced by the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), Unwritten Law takes listeners behind the headlines to explain how federal agencies exercise regulatory power, how constitutional challenges move through the courts, and why these cases matter—even if you’ve never stepped inside a courtroom.

    If you’ve ever wondered who really writes the rules that govern your life, why unelected bureaucrats hold so much authority, or how the Constitution protects individual liberty, Unwritten Law will give you the context, the legal insight, and the real-world stories behind today’s most important fights for civil liberties.

    Whether you’re a lawyer, business owner, public servant, student, or simply someone who wants to better understand how government power affects everyday life, Unwritten Law gives you the legal insight behind the headlines—and the constitutional principles that protect individual liberty.

    Subscribe each week for conversations about Supreme Court litigation, constitutional law, the administrative state, federal agencies, government accountability, civil liberties, free speech, property rights, due process, separation of powers, regulatory power, and the legal battles shaping the future of American government.

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    Copyright: © Copyright 2026 Mark Chenoweth & John Vecchione

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    Latest Episodes:
    The Fight Over Who Decides Constitutional Claims Jun 18, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by Senior Litigation Counsel Alana Black to discuss NCLA's amicus brief in Johnson v. United States Congress, a case asking whether constitutional challenges to federal statutes must be heard by Article III courts.

    The case involves a disabled veteran challenging a federal law affecting veterans benefits. Rather than allowing his constitutional claims to proceed in federal district court, lower courts relied on the Supreme Court's Thunder Basin and Elgin precedents to route the dispute through an administrative review process.

    Alana explains why NCLA believes those precedents are inconsistent with Congress's longstanding practice of ensuring that constitutional challenges to federal laws receive direct judicial review. Drawing on more than a century of statutory history, she shows how Congress repeatedly treated constitutional challenges as a special category of cases deserving heightened judicial attention—not administrative adjudication.

    The discussion also explores the relationship between Thunder Basin, Axon, Cochran, Loper Bright, and Relentless, as well as broader questions about separation of powers, judicial authority, and whether administrative tribunals should play any role in deciding constitutional claims.


    Did the SEC Repeal Its Gag Rule to Avoid SCOTUS? Jun 17, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth, Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione, and Senior Litigation Counsel Peggy Little discuss NCLA's reply brief in Powell v. SEC, the case challenging the SEC's decades-old gag rule.

    Although the SEC recently rescinded the rule that prohibited settling defendants from publicly denying the agency's allegations, Peggy explains why the case is far from over. Thousands of existing gag orders remain in place, courts may still enforce them, and future administrations could reinstate similar restrictions at any time.

    The discussion explores the legal doctrine of voluntary cessation, why agencies should not be able to evade judicial review by temporarily changing course, and why NCLA believes the Supreme Court should still hear the case. Peggy also highlights a surprising development: shortly after the SEC repealed its rule, the CFTC repealed its nearly identical gag rule as well.

    Mark, John, and Peggy examine the broader implications for free speech, government accountability, and the First Amendment rights of Americans who settled with regulators but remain unable to publicly challenge the allegations against them.

    With the case scheduled for Supreme Court conference on June 25, the episode offers an inside look at one of the most important First Amendment battles involving the administrative state.


    Can Congress Let EPA Pick Winners and Losers? Jun 14, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth, Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione, and General Counsel Zhonette Brown discuss NCLA's recently filed reply brief in Choice Refrigerants v. EPA, a case asking the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit the nondelegation doctrine.

    The conversation focuses on a fundamental constitutional question: Can Congress hand an agency virtually unlimited discretion to decide which companies receive valuable market allocations—and which do not?

    Zhonette explains why the government's response brief and supporting industry briefs point to different alleged "intelligible principles," highlighting what NCLA argues is the complete absence of any meaningful statutory guidance. The discussion also explores why notice-and-comment rulemaking is not a substitute for legislative accountability and why decisions affecting entire industries should be made by Congress—not unelected administrators.

    Mark, John, and Zhonette also compare the case to other recent Supreme Court administrative law decisions, discuss the support of 21 states and numerous public-interest organizations, and explain why they believe Choice Refrigerants presents an ideal vehicle for the Court to strengthen the nondelegation doctrine.

    With the petition scheduled for the Supreme Court's June 18 conference, the episode offers an inside look at one of NCLA's most significant constitutional cases.


    A Tale of Two Judicial Discipline Cases Jun 03, 2026
    Show notes

    Why did one federal judge receive only a reprimand after engaging in sexual activities in her chambers, while Federal Judge Pauline Newman remains sidelined after more than three years — with no judicial review of her suspension, despite no findings of misconduct and passing 3 mental fitness tests from 3 different doctors?

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione discuss a recent judicial misconduct case that has prompted new scrutiny of the federal judiciary's internal disciplinary process.

    The discussion explores:

    • A federal judge who received a private reprimand after misconduct findings
    • Why the judge was allowed to continue hearing cases
    • How that outcome compares to Judge Pauline Newman's ongoing suspension
    • The role of judicial councils in disciplining federal judges
    • Concerns about transparency, accountability, and consistency
    • Why legal commentators across the ideological spectrum have questioned the result

    Mark and John also examine what these cases reveal about administrative processes within the judiciary and whether reforms may be needed to restore public confidence.


    The Licensing Board That Ignored Due Process Jun 02, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by Litigation Counsel Casey Norman to discuss Kurtin v. South Carolina Department of Labor, a case challenging an extraordinary series of procedural abuses by a state licensing board.

    NCLA is challenging the South Carolina Real Estate Board’s unlawful sanctions against certified residential appraiser Joseph Kirton.

    Casey explains how the board pursued charges based on standards it had not yet adopted, introduced new allegations during the hearing itself, relied on a substitute investigator who had no involvement in the original investigation, refused access to key documents, and claimed that statutes of limitations did not apply to its proceedings.

    The discussion also explores broader constitutional issues raised by administrative licensing boards, including notice, fairness, retroactive enforcement, jury trial rights, and the danger of allowing agencies to serve as investigator, prosecutor, and adjudicator all at once.

    Mark, John, and Casey examine why this case could have implications far beyond South Carolina and why professionals across the country should pay attention.


    The SEC Repealed the Gag Rule. While It's a Victory for Free Speech and NCLA, It's Not Over. Jun 01, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth, Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione, and Senior Litigation Counsel Peggy Little discuss a major development in Powell v. SEC: the SEC has formally rescinded its decades-old gag rule.

    The rule prohibited settling defendants from publicly denying the SEC's allegations against them, often leaving individuals silenced for years—or even decades—after their cases ended. The repeal marks a significant victory for free speech and follows years of litigation, advocacy, and a Supreme Court petition filed on behalf of NCLA clients including Thomas Powell.

    But is the fight over?

    Peggy explains why thousands of existing gag orders may still remain in place, why future SEC officials could potentially revive similar restrictions, and why NCLA believes the Supreme Court should still hear the case and issue a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of government-imposed settlement gags.

    The discussion also examines the role of 16 amicus briefs supporting Supreme Court review, the SEC's reasoning for repealing the rule, and the broader implications for free speech, administrative power, and government accountability.


    Can Illinois Require Permission to Touch a Gun? May 28, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by Litigation Counsel Jacob Huebert to discuss a newly filed federal lawsuit challenging Illinois’ Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card system.

    The case, Laurent v. Kelly, argues that Illinois unconstitutionally requires residents to obtain government permission before they may possess, use, or even touch a firearm in their own homes. NCLA contends that the law violates both the Second Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by forcing citizens to seek approval from the government before exercising a fundamental constitutional right.

    Jacob explains how the FOID system works, why delays and administrative hurdles can prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising self-defense rights for months at a time, and how the law compares to unconstitutional “prior restraints” in the First Amendment context.

    The episode also examines the experiences of the lawsuit’s plaintiffs, including a Navy veteran and Chicago residents who object to the idea that constitutional rights should depend on government permission slips. Mark, John, and Jacob further discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision and why this challenge could have consequences beyond Illinois.


    Loper Bright Keeps Reshaping Agency Power May 22, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione discuss developments in the Supreme Court’s landmark Loper Bright and Relentless (2024) decisions overturning Chevron deference.

    Mark and John explain the unusual procedural developments following the Supreme Court’s decision, including remand proceedings in the First Circuit, negotiations over holding the case in abeyance, and why the federal government may now be reconsidering the legality and practicality of the rule.

    The episode also explores broader implications of Loper Bright: why agencies can no longer rely on Chevron deference to expand statutory authority, why removing unlawful rules matters beyond any one administration, and how regulatory power can continue to affect industries long after political leadership changes.


    Can EPA Decide Who Stays in Business? May 15, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione are joined by NCLA General Counsel Zhonette Brown to discuss the federal government’s response brief in Choice Refrigerants v. EPA, a case asking the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit the nondelegation doctrine.

    The discussion focuses on whether Congress unconstitutionally handed the EPA broad authority to determine how shrinking refrigerant allowances are allocated under the AIM Act—effectively deciding which companies can continue operating and which may be pushed out of the market.

    Zhonette explains why the case is not simply about environmental regulation, but about who controls market share and economic liberty in America. The conversation explores the “gaping hole” in the statute identified by NCLA: while Congress specified detailed chemical formulas, phase-down schedules, and military-use carveouts, it failed to explain how the EPA should allocate allowances among competing businesses.

    The episode also examines the practical consequences for small businesses like Choice Refrigerants, whose owner developed replacement refrigerants without the resources of major industry players. Mark, John, and Zhonette discuss how the EPA created new entrant carveouts, reshuffled market allocations, and exercised broad discretion that NCLA argues belongs to Congress—not federal agencies.

    The conversation further explores broader constitutional themes raised by the case, including preemption, federalism, economic liberty, and the Supreme Court’s recent signals that it may be willing to revive meaningful limits on congressional delegation of legislative power.


    How Loper Bright Is Changing the Courts May 13, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth and Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione discuss the growing real-world impact of the Supreme Court’s landmark decisions in Loper Bright and Relentless—the cases that ended Chevron deference and restored the judiciary’s independent role in interpreting federal statutes.

    As the two-year anniversary of the decisions approaches, Mark and John examine several major lower-court rulings already shaped by the new legal framework. The discussion focuses on a recent Eighth Circuit decision striking down an FCC rule on “digital discrimination” in broadband access, where the court held that the agency exceeded the authority Congress actually granted in statute.

    The episode also explores another FCC dispute involving a proposed media merger and the agency’s attempt to avoid judicial review while allowing the merger to proceed. Mark and John explain how courts are increasingly applying Loper Bright to ensure agencies follow the text Congress enacted—not policy preferences agencies wish Congress had adopted.

    The conversation highlights how the end of Chevron deference is reshaping administrative law across industries, why the effects are not limited to any one political party or industry, and how the decisions are restoring courts to their constitutional role in deciding what the law means.


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