Best Leah Litman Podcasts (2025)

1
SCOTUS Unanimously Upholds TikTok Ban 38:05

2h ago38:05

38:05

In the first emergency episode of 2025, Kate, Leah and Melissa break down the Court’s unanimous decision to uphold the upcoming TikTok ban in the United States. They cover the implications and possible unintended consequences, and Leah bids farewell to her personal Chinese spy. Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky…

1
Is TikTok’s Time Up? 1:23:54

1d ago1:23:54

1:23:54

Leah, Melissa & Kate dive headfirst into an already busy 2025 by detailing the Republican attempt to steal a North Carolina Supreme Court seat, looking at the just-argued TikTok case, parsing through Donald Trump’s various legal challenges, and more. Then, the hosts speak with Michelle Adams, professor of law at the University of Michigan about her…

1
The Promise and Perils of Presidential Power 1:01:56

13d ago1:01:56

1:01:56

On the fourth anniversary of January 6th, Leah, Melissa & Kate dive deep on presidential power: how the presidency became what it is today, transitions of power, and how we’ve seen checks on the power of the president from unexpected quarters. Joining them are two experts: Lindsay Chervinsky, author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Prec…

1
Our Favorite Things, 2024 1:04:39

27d ago1:04:39

1:04:39

In the spirit of the holidays, Leah, Kate & Melissa force themselves to say something nice about each Supreme Court Justice. Yes, all of them. Then they take a break from the tomfoolery at One First Street to share their favorite things. Whether you’re doing some very last-minute holiday shopping, looking to indulge yourself, or craving a good book…

1
Jingle Bells, the Fifth Circuit Is Hell 1:10:51

1M ago1:10:51

1:10:51

Leah, Melissa, and Kate cover some breaking news before recapping last week’s SCOTUS arguments. They also touch on some lower-court opinions and court culture including the Fifth Circuit going buck wild (yet again), KBJ’s Broadway debut, Mitch McConnell’s never-ending hypocrisy, and TikTok’s fate in America. Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Blu…

1
Leave Trans Kids Alone You Absolute Freaks (with Chase Strangio) 1:09:59

1M ago1:09:59

1:09:59

Kate, Melissa, and Leah break down United States v. Skrmetti, the Court’s big case on gender-affirming care for minors, with the ACLU’s Chase Strangio. Chase is one of the lawyers who argued the case–as well as the first known transgender lawyer to argue at the Supreme Court. The hosts then make a pit stop at the always-out-there Fifth Circuit befo…

1
Gender-Affirming Care in the Court’s Crosshairs 1:06:24

2M ago1:06:24

1:06:24

After touching on some shenanigans from the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention and Chuck Schumer’s lousy deal on judicial appointments, Leah, Kate, and Melissa preview December’s upcoming Supreme Court cases. The Justices will hear arguments in cases about gender-affirming care for minors, the FDA’s denial of authorization to flavored…

1
How Will Trump 2.0 Embolden SCOTUS to Gut the Law? 1:19:24

2M ago1:19:24

1:19:24

Kate and Melissa comb through the latest from the incoming Trump administration, including the subbing in of Pam Bondi for Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. Then, they take a look at the areas of law that will be hit hardest during a second Trump term. Finally, all three hosts speak with Judge David Tatel, formerly of the DC Circuit, about his book,…

201
Trump’s Parade of Clowns, Idiots, and Creeps 1:03:17

2M ago1:03:17

1:03:17

Leah, Melissa, and Kate wade through more election fallout, including President-elect Trump’s proposed use of recess appointments to jam his cabinet picks through. Also covered: this week’s SCOTUS arguments, the tryhards auditioning to be Trump Supreme Court nominees, and why everyone should shut up about Justice Sotomayor retiring. Follow us on In…

251
Making Sense of the Election and What It Means for the Court 52:39

2M ago52:39

52:39

After processing the election and thinking through what it means for the future of the Supreme Court, Kate and Leah dig into a Voting Rights Act case newly added to SCOTUS’s docket. They also tackle this week’s cases on the False Claims Act, compensation for hospitals that treat low-income people, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and federal securitie…

1
Election Anxiety: How the Outcome Could Affect SCOTUS’s Docket 50:24

3M ago50:24

50:24

After diving deep on a wild story about Justice Alito palling around with a German princess, Melissa, Kate, and Leah take a look at pending SCOTUS cases, including some that could be affected by the outcome of the election. They also take a look at a crucial case in the 5th circuit about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Follow us on I…

1
Fifth Circuit Election Madness, a Post-Mortem on Roe, & the War on Drugs 1:27:51

3M ago1:27:51

1:27:51

After an emergency intro looking at the Fifth Circuit’s bonkers mail-in ballot decision, the ladies do a deep dive on two books. First, they speak with New York Times correspondents Lisa Lerer and Elizabeth Dias about The Fall of Roe: The Rise of a New America. Then, David Pozen of Columbia Law School joins to talk about The Constitution of the War…

1
SCOTUS’s Endless Beef with the EPA 1:04:14

3M ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Melissa, Kate, and Leah recap October at the Supreme Court, diving into the sewage-infested waters of City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency. What did clean water ever do to Brett Kavanaugh? Also recapped: cases about the judicial review of immigration visas and veterans benefits. Finally, the hosts finish off with a pe…

1
"Ghost Guns" are Guns (Duh) 47:15

3M ago47:15

47:15

After covering some breaking news, Kate, Melissa and Leah recap last week's oral arguments at the Supreme Court, including cases about civil rights, ghost guns, and the death penalty. Come for the palpable tension between Justices Alito and Kagan, stay for SG Prelogar gently explaining to Justice Alito how a gun isn’t like an omelet. Follow us on I…

401
An Unsealed Brief, Ghost Guns, & Antitrust Law as Social Justice 1:19:31

3M ago1:19:31

1:19:31

Leah, Melissa, and Kate kick off with a look at Jack Smith’s unsealed brief on Trump’s election interference case before digging into some cases the court is hearing this week, including one centered around ghost guns–unserialized guns that can be put together from component parts. Then, Melissa and Leah speak with Doha Mekki and Jonathan Kanter of…

1
Steel Yourself for a New SCOTUS Term 1:09:06

4M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

Melissa, Leah and Kate break down some excellent recent SCOTUS reporting and look ahead to what fresh hell the Roberts Court has in store for us in its new term. While much is unknown at this point, the Court will hear cases on gender-affirming care for trans kids, “ghost” guns, and further challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency. In othe…

1
No Choice but to Stan: A Deep Dive on Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar 1:18:43

4M ago1:18:43

1:18:43

Pamela Karlan, experienced advocate and co-director of Stanford’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, joins Kate and Leah to break down just how exceptional Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is at her job. Then, all three hosts speak with Madiba K. Dennie about her book, The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the Peo…

501
The Battle for Native Rights & Comstock: The Zombie Law From Hell 1:02:26

4M ago1:02:26

1:02:26

Kate and Leah speak with Rebecca Nagle, author of By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land about the battlefield that is federal Indian law. Then, all three hosts speak with law professors Reva Siegel and Mary Ziegler about their paper for the Yale Law Journal, Comstockery: How Government Censorship Gave Birth to …

1
Reform, Repression, & Reproductive Rights (Live from Texas!) 58:09

4M ago58:09

58:09

This week Kate and Melissa are live from the Texas Tribune Festival with a couple of dream guests. First, U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin joins to discuss how Congress can rein in our ethically questionable Supreme Court. Then, they speak with activist Amanda Zurawski, lead plaintiff in Zurawski v. State of Texas, whose story tragically illuminate…

551
Shining a Light on State Supreme Court Races 1:14:29

5M ago1:14:29

1:14:29

In this week’s three-part episode, we take a look at state supreme courts and why this year’s elections are so important. First, Kate and Emily Passini of the ACLU walk us through some of the most crucial races. Then, Kate and Leah speak with state supreme court candidates Professor Kimberly Thomas of Michigan and Justice Allison Riggs of North Car…

1
Project 2025 (cont.): The Fascist Plan to Plunder the Government 54:10

5M ago54:10

54:10

To wrap up our series on Project 2025, Kate, Leah and Melissa are joined by NYU's Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini To The Present to share her perspective as a historian on the Heritage Foundation's terrifying plans for the country. Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and BlueskyBy Melissa Murray, Kate Shaw, Leah Litman

1
Project 2025 (cont.): How to Create a Geopolitical Hellscape & Back to School With Meredith Marks 1:01:36

5M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Ben Rhodes of Crooked's Pod Save the World joins Leah and Kate to break down Project 2025's truly frightening foreign policy goals. Then, Leah and Melissa are joined by The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Meredith Marks. In addition to braving the "rumors and nastiness" of reality television, Meredith is also a graduate of Northwestern Law Scho…

1
State of the Uterus: Two Years After the End of Roe 1:02:38

5M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

In what has become a depressing tradition, it's time for our annual look at the hell that SCOTUS unleashed with Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. To look at the landscape for reproductive rights and justice, the team is joined by Julia Kaye, senior staff attorney at the ACLU and Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Wome…

701
Project 2025 (cont.): DEI for Men With Terrible Personalities 1:27:49

6M ago1:27:49

1:27:49

Jon Lovett joins Melissa and Leah to climb inside the mind of one of Project 2025’s biggest boosters: J.D. Vance. It’s nasty in there! Then, Leah and Melissa discuss the proposed SCOTUS reforms. Finally, Leah chats with Olivia Warren and Deeva Shah about misconduct in the federal judiciary–specifically, the investigation into certified creep Judge …

1
Project 2025: 900 Pages and 100% Deranged 1:19:14

6M ago1:19:14

1:19:14

Leah and Melissa introduce a new series on Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s deranged instruction manual for taking away all of our rights and making everyone’s lives worse. Then, the whole crew is together for a conversation with Dylan C. Penningroth about his book Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights. Follow us on I…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Leah Litman Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Strict Scrutiny

Crooked Media

1
Irrational Basis Review

Leah Litman Melissa Murray Kate Shaw

1
SCOTUS Unanimously Upholds TikTok Ban 38:05

1
Is TikTok’s Time Up? 1:23:54

1
The Promise and Perils of Presidential Power 1:01:56

1
Our Favorite Things, 2024 1:04:39

1
Jingle Bells, the Fifth Circuit Is Hell 1:10:51

1
Leave Trans Kids Alone You Absolute Freaks (with Chase Strangio) 1:09:59

1
Gender-Affirming Care in the Court’s Crosshairs 1:06:24

1
How Will Trump 2.0 Embolden SCOTUS to Gut the Law? 1:19:24

201
Trump’s Parade of Clowns, Idiots, and Creeps 1:03:17

251
Making Sense of the Election and What It Means for the Court 52:39

1
Election Anxiety: How the Outcome Could Affect SCOTUS’s Docket 50:24

1
Fifth Circuit Election Madness, a Post-Mortem on Roe, & the War on Drugs 1:27:51

1
SCOTUS’s Endless Beef with the EPA 1:04:14

1
"Ghost Guns" are Guns (Duh) 47:15

401
An Unsealed Brief, Ghost Guns, & Antitrust Law as Social Justice 1:19:31

1
Steel Yourself for a New SCOTUS Term 1:09:06

1
No Choice but to Stan: A Deep Dive on Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar 1:18:43

501
The Battle for Native Rights & Comstock: The Zombie Law From Hell 1:02:26

1
Reform, Repression, & Reproductive Rights (Live from Texas!) 58:09

551
Shining a Light on State Supreme Court Races 1:14:29

1
Project 2025 (cont.): The Fascist Plan to Plunder the Government 54:10

1
Project 2025 (cont.): How to Create a Geopolitical Hellscape & Back to School With Meredith Marks 1:01:36

1
State of the Uterus: Two Years After the End of Roe 1:02:38

701
Project 2025 (cont.): DEI for Men With Terrible Personalities 1:27:49

1
Project 2025: 900 Pages and 100% Deranged 1:19:14

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