Short Circuit Podcast

It’s time for Short Circuit to head for the hills. Two cases from the mountainous Tenth Circuit, one on the Fourth Amendment and another on […]

We join forces with the law firm of Hogan Lovells to bring you some “legal mumbo jumbo”—an episode recorded at their offices in Washington, D.C. […]

This episode is a First Amendment 2-4-1. We begin with James Dickey of the Upper Midwest Law Center (and former golf pro). James tells us […]

The Fourth of July holds a central place in American history. The day patriots threw off the shackles of King George. Which is why it’s […]

Everybody knows that the government can’t take property from you just because it doesn’t like you. But what if the government says it actually wants […]

Is “perceived speech” protected by the First Amendment? That straightforward question goes in a very complicated direction when a truck driver is fired from his […]

It’s a Short Circuit Live, recorded at the Institute for Justice’s annual law student conference! Patrick Jaicomo is your host, and he brings along IJ’s […]

If you’re a fan of our furry friends (actual animals, that is) then this is the episode for you. First, we start with what’s important: […]

First of all: PARENTAL ADVISORY! If you have children nearby you might want to save part of this episode for later. It doesn’t happen until […]

How does history inform our interpretation of the Constitution? In all kinds of ways, it seems, and perhaps in too many of them. We once […]

We take a break from the federal courts of appeals and look into a brave new world—or is it an Orwellian one? Our thoughts—our inner […]

We’re gonna read you the Riot Act. Again. An old friend of Short Circuit returns, the Anti-Riot Act. Perhaps (?) named in homage to its […]

Stories we hope our listeners can relate to this week: borrowing cars and lousy neighbors. First, from the Sixth Circuit, IJ’s Rob Frommer details how […]

We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of this podcast. But if we could we’d tell you all about the CIA’s involvement in a […]

We revisit an issue that’s really coming into focus: cameras on poles and how they stand up to the Fourth Amendment. Mike Greenberg of IJ […]

Two wild stories this week, one biblical and one of a more secular nature—but still wild. Jeff Redfern of IJ tells of a Texan judicial […]

An all Seventh Circuit, all Chicago episode. IJ attorney Andrew Ward drops in to tell a tale of online support for terrorists. Or at least […]

The Short Circuit roadshow comes to UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia, where we finally focus on the Fourth Circuit. Fresh off her Supreme Court argument last […]

Is qualified immunity a narrow doctrine focused on protecting the police when they make “split second decisions”? If you listen to its defenders you would […]

A bit of a free speech derby this week, one opinion about free speech itself and another about how to just get to the First […]

Everyone says we need more housing, right? Not all local governments agree. Maybe they’re fine with more housing over there but not where developers actually […]

A special episode on artificial intelligence and the law, including how we find the law. Ed Walters, a pioneer in bringing AI to legal research, […]

An electric episode where we just might short the circuits. That’s because we dive into some capital “D” Drama at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. […]

We’re joined by the SCOTUS Ladies, two “Supreme Court super fans.” They are Anastasia Boden and Elizabeth Slattery and they’re here to talk about their […]

The Ninth Circuit recently had some pretty harsh words for the FBI’s egregious behavior when the Bureau decided to crack open some vaults in Los […]

It’s a clerk reunion this week, at least for two former clerks of Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the Ninth Circuit. We welcome back David Lat […]

A more poetic Short Circuit this week. Coinciding with his birthday, January 25th, and with the phenomenon that it is these days, we pay homage […]

An “utterly bonkers” case this week. Jaba Tsitsuashvili, attorney at IJ and attorney for his client Erma Wilson, tells us about the Fifth Circuit’s recent […]

If a defendant lies on the stand, and also hasn’t turned over records that would have helped answer the same question, is that discovery abuse? […]

An old favorite on our first show of 2024, a search incident to arrest. Was it reasonable for the police to open a man’s backpack […]