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Advisory Opinions

The Dispatch
Advisory Opinions
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675 episodes

  • Advisory Opinions

    Barely Averting a Constitutional Crisis

    09/15/2026 | 1h 10 mins.
    Sarah Isgur and David French debate David’s latest New York Times column on the Missouri Supreme Court blocking a congressional map. Then, the two review two law articles: Andy Smarick of the Manhattan Institute’s elegantly simple piece on unenumerated rights, and University of Virginia law professor Caleb Nelson’s amazing yet horrifying publication on the unitary executive.

    The Agenda:

    –Paying tribute to the victims and those who sacrificed their lives on 9/11

    –The redistricting fight that favors Democrats in Missouri

    –Andy Smarick: “How Judicial ‘History and Tradition’ Went Wrong”

    –Caleb Nelson’s article on the unitary executive

    –Is a teacher’s pride flag personal effects?

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

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  • Advisory Opinions

    Insular Cases | Interview: Chief Judge Jeff Sutton and Neil Weare

    09/10/2026 | 1h 11 mins.
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss Supreme Court updates on two cases: preferred advertising rates for political committees and Missouri’s congressional districts. Then, Judge Jeff Sutton, chief judge of the 6th Circuit and No. 1 AO judicial crush, and Neil Weare, co-director of Right to Democracy, join to discuss insular cases and where birthright citizenship stands after Trump v. Barbara.

    The Agenda:

    –Political campaigns and discounted ad rates

    –Chaos in the Missouri congressional map

    –Our first Olympian guest

    –Background on insular cases

    –Trump v. Barbara

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Advisory Opinions

    SCOTUS Majority Rules White House Ballroom Is A Go

    09/03/2026 | 1h 7 mins.
    Sarah Isgur and David French discuss the 5-4 ballroom interim docket decision with Chief Justice John Roberts leading the dissenters, the New York Times with a piece on releasing the justice’s papers sooner rather than later, and a piece by Josh Morrow on AI in circuit decisions. And speaking of circuit decisions, Sarah and David discuss a few, including the Vacancies Reform Act and the 26th Amendment.

    The Agenda:

    –Goodbye East Wing

    –Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife

    –Will Baude on esthetic injuries

    –Should the justices release their papers sooner?

    –Should this actually be happening

    –South Carolina’s voting law is unconstitutional

    –Update on Vacancies Reform Act

    Show Notes:

    –David Lat’s Substack

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Advisory Opinions

    Has the First Amendment Ever Been More Relevant?

    09/01/2026 | 1h 13 mins.
    Sarah Isgur and David French pick through a trail mix of topics for this week’s episode.  The two discuss bracelet-wearing parents at a soccer game, student visas being revoked over bad speech, and classified information being printed. But they kick it off with a big “Sarah got it wrong.”

    The Agenda:

    –Sarah got it wrooooooong

    –Breaking news and the mail-in ballot decision

    –Pentagon leaks and the Washington Post

    –FIRE’s win and student visas

    –Felons can vote in Minnesota

    –Trans athletes and pink bracelets

    –James O’Keefe and pretty interns

    –Predicting SCOTUS cases

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Advisory Opinions

    How to Fix Congress | Interview: Rep. Jake Auchincloss

    08/27/2026 | 1h 7 mins.
    Sarah Isgur and David French invite real life Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts to discuss how to reform Congress, explain multi-member districting, and wtalk about hether the Supreme Court needs more justices. But first, forging Justice John Robert’s signature and fake arresting teenagers.

    The Agenda:

    –Bad criming

    –Even if a judge is in judges robes, they’re not always a judge

    –All the headlines are wrong (except ours)

    –Who wrote the Per Curiam?

    –Reforms to the Supreme Court

    –Are your kids violent?

    Order Sarah’s book here.

    Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you’d like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Advisory Opinions
Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.
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