What is Short Circuit?

Short Circuit is your concise (and sometimes irreverent) source for important and interesting cases and legal stories you might otherwise have missed.

Launched by the Institute for Justice (IJ) in 2015, Short Circuit started off as a short weekly newsletter rounding up the most interesting developments in the federal circuit courts of appeal as well as a weekly podcast digging into a couple recent particularly noteworthy cases.

Today, as part of IJ’s Center for Judicial Engagement, and with the newsletter and flagship podcast still going strong, Short Circuit also includes our legal history documentary podcast Bound By Oath, now in its fourth season, and our monthly roundtable podcast Unpublished Opinions. We also hold live shows (contact us if you’re interested in hosting one) and other events. Wherever and whoever you are there’s plenty of options to get engaged.

Receive the Newsletter

Keep current on the federal circuit courts with a weekly email round-up in your inbox.

Bound By Oath

Needless Friction. And Treason.

On this episode: the story of Pullman abstention, the first of several abstention doctrines the Supreme Court invented to let federal judges decline to decide […]

Listen Now

All Episodes

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify

Short Circuit

Short Circuit 431 | Hard but not Impossible

We welcome back a treasured many-times guest, the first time since he’s left IJ. Brian Morris served in our merry band of libertarian litigators for […]

Listen Now

All Episodes

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify

Unpublished Opinions

Unpublished Opinions 24 | What If It’s Not Peyote?

John Wrench is joined by Sam Gedge and Kirby West for a session of hot takes, hard questions, and changed minds. The trio challenge received […]

Listen Now

All Episodes

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Recent Newsletters

All Newsletters