Strict Scrutiny

By: Crooked Media
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  • Summary

  • Strict Scrutiny is a podcast about the United States Supreme Court and the legal culture that surrounds it. Hosted by three badass constitutional law professors-- Leah Litman, Kate Shaw, and Melissa Murray-- Strict Scrutiny provides in-depth, accessible, and irreverent analysis of the Supreme Court and its cases, culture, and personalities. Each week, Leah, Kate, and Melissa break down the latest headlines and biggest legal questions facing our country, emphasizing what it all means for our daily lives. Whether you’re a lawyer or law student, or you’re just here for the messy legal drama, Strict Scrutiny has you covered. New episodes out every Monday… plus bonuses whenever SCOTUS takes away another one of our rights.
    © Crooked Media. All Rights Reserved.
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Philosophy Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Are Trump Administration Officials in Criminal Contempt?

    Are Trump Administration Officials in Criminal Contempt?
    Apr 21 2025

    Leah, Melissa and Kate join forces to dig through the Trump administration’s latest affronts to the law and the possibility that its officials could be held in criminal contempt. They also react in real time to the Court’s decision to take up the question of birthright citizenship and cheer Harvard’s stand against the administration. Finally, they take a look at what’s in front of SCOTUS this week, including a new opportunity for the conservative majority to use the EPA as a punching bag and its latest foray into the culture wars.

    Hosts’ favorite things:

    • Melissa: White Potus (SNL); Good Dirt, Charmaine Wilkerson; Hacks (Max); Confessions of a Female Founder (with Reshma Saujani)
    • Kate: So You Want to be a Dissident Julia Angwin & Ami Fields-Meyer (New Yorker); Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service, Michael Lewis; Just Security (Substack); Judge Wilkinson’s opinion for the 4th circuit on the Abrego Garcia case; Catalina, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
    • Leah: Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz: A Graphic Family Memoir of Trauma & Inheritance, Ari Richter; The Vibe Shifts Against The Right, Michelle Goldberg (NYT); Harvard’s new website
    • Also mentioned this episode: The Supreme Court threatens to bring “Don’t Say Gay” to every classroom in America, Ian Millhiser (Vox); Five Questions About Domestic Use of the Military, Steve Vladek (One First)

    Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!

    • 5/31 – Washington DC
    • 6/12 – NYC
    • 10/4 – Chicago

    Learn more: http://crooked.com/events

    Pre-order your copy of Leah's forthcoming book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (out May 13th)

    Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
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    1 hr and 33 mins
  • SCOTUS Lets Trump Play Word Games

    SCOTUS Lets Trump Play Word Games
    Apr 14 2025

    This week, the Court weighed in on two cases arising out of the Trump administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport people to El Salvador. Kate, Melissa, and Leah break down both rulings, looking at how SCOTUS is giving leeway to the administration. For the second part of the show, Deborah Archer, professor of law at NYU and president of the ACLU, joins to talk about her new book, Dividing Lines: How Transportation Infrastructure Reinforces Racial Inequality.

    Hosts’ favorite things this week:

    • Leah: Dividing Lines, Deborah Archer; Why Universities Must Start Litigating—and How (The Nation), David Pozen, Ryan Doerfler, and Samuel Bagenstos; The Case for Suing, Adam Unikowsky
    • Kate: Princeton President Chris Eisgruber on The Daily; Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service, Michael Lewis
    • Melissa: Up Home: One Girl's Journey, Ruth J. Simmons; The White Lotus (Max)


    Vote for Less Radical in the Webby Awards here and here!

    Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025!

    • 5/31 – Washington DC
    • 6/12 – NYC
    • 10/4 – Chicago

    Learn more: http://crooked.com/events

    Pre-order your copy of Leah's forthcoming book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (out May 13th)

    Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 30 mins
  • What’s the Future of Planned Parenthood?

    What’s the Future of Planned Parenthood?
    Apr 7 2025
    Leah and Kate recap recent opinions and arguments from the Supreme Court, including cases about tax exemptions for religious organizations and the future of Planned Parenthood. Along the way they celebrate Susan Crawford’s election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Cory Booker’s 25-hour speech on the Senate floor, touch on potential legal challenges to Trump’s ruinous tariffs, and discuss the latest in the ongoing right-wing effort to challenge Allison Riggs’ election to the Supreme Court of North Carolina.Hosts’ favorite things this week:Kate: Unmarked Vans. Secret Lists. Public Denunciations. Our Police State Has Arrived, M. Gessen; Setting the Record Straight on the Anti-Trump Injunctions, Steve Vladek; The Battle for the Bros, Andrew Marantz; Museum of Now, This American Life; The Senate and the Edward Martin Nomination, Jack Goldsmith; Isola, Allegra Goodman; How the Trump Administration Learned to Obscure the Truth in Court, Leah LitmanLeah: Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead, Ariana Grande; Hate Won't Win: Find Your Power and Leave This Place Better Than You Found It, Mallory McMorrow; Why Trans People Must Prove a History of Discrimination Before the Supreme Court, Chase Strangio; Remarkable Things in the Government’s Alien Enemies Act Briefs to the Supreme Court, Marty LedermanVote for Less Radical in the Webby Awards here and here! Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025! 5/31 – Washington DC6/12 – NYC10/4 – ChicagoLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsPre-order your copy of Leah's forthcoming book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (out May 13th)Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
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    1 hr and 29 mins
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Profile Image for cheyenne rose butcher

excellent!!!

Wonderfully detailed and appropriately frustrated. Extremely informative and cathartic listen, I highly recommend this podcast

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Profile Image for Amanda Moore

The legal eagles to listen go

it's been so great to have actual experts in the field break down the news about the court that I didn't even realize I needed to know. These scholarly sisters of Supreme Court stupidity cover court culture, ridiculous rulings, and circuit court craziness in eli5 ways so simple that even Kavanaugh could understand

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Sublime Ladies

Thank you for your love of constitutional law and for sharing it with us lay persons. You are sublime! Love the podcast!!!❤️

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Profile Image for proxy

Waaaay too many commercials!

What is the ratio of content to advertisements?! Content is good but constantly interrupted by very long and meandering ads.

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Profile Image for William Boyd

Excellant podcast.

This group is both entertaining and informative. I look forward to it on my commute every week.

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Profile Image for A. Trifiletti

Humor and learning

I've learned a lot about how the court functions, or is supposed to function, and laughed so much.

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Profile Image for bradley engeldinger

such a good episode

i love the Dobbs year recap with the guest stars, made my entire week

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Profile Image for Sauceress

Love these brainy badass ladies

Great insights, loads of sarcasm. I look forward to every episode. I used to follow the court on my own but without some legal background it could be really difficult to understand the whys of what's happening.

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Profile Image for Maurya Allen

Super Accessible for Non-Lawyers

As someone who works in government, but is not a lawyer or any kind of legal scholar, this is a great podcast to get a sense of what SCOTUS has done and what it means for the country. The presenters are very easy to listen to and do a great job explaining everything in an accessible way. Definitely getting caught up on back episodes and looking forward to new ones!

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Profile Image for Bailey Degregorio

Strict Scrutiny kicks major retrumplcan ass 👑🙏

this podcast is one word awesome im so happy to have found another pro democracy podcast i will be listening with joy thank you for all you do in the fight for our democratic democracy god bless i give it 10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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