Shows / Stanford Legal
Stanford Legal
Law touches most aspects of life. Here to help make sense of it is the Stanford Legal podcast, where we look at the cases, questions, conflicts, and legal stories that affect us all every day. Pam Karlan studies and teaches a range of constitutional law-related courses with a special focus on what is known as the “law of democracy,”—the law that regulates voting, elections, and the political process. She served as a commissioner on the California Fair Political Practices Commission, an…
Episodes
Stanford LegalWhen Federal Agents Came to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Door
Stanford’s David Sklansky discusses the search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home, the Justice Department’s election-timing rules, and what courts can do when…
Stanford LegalBest of Stanford Legal: What Stands Between Voters and the Ballot?
The ACLU’s Sophia Lin Lakin discusses voting access and the redistricting battles shaping political power ---- Sophia Lin Lakin, JD ’11 (MS ’04, BA ’02)…
Stanford LegalThe Court Records We're Not Allowed to See
A sweeping Stanford Law study reveals how routinely federal courts seal records, sometimes concealing information with profound implications for public health…
Stanford LegalDismantling Environmental Law
Deborah Sivas discusses the recent rollback of environmental laws, calls to streamline environmental review to speed up development, and the role communities…
Stanford LegalU.S. Elections Under Pressure from White House
Nate Persily joins Pam Karlan to discuss efforts to change the rules governing the 2026 elections and the legal battles over how those changes would affect…
Stanford LegalWho Fills In When Federal Jobs Are Vacant?
Stanford’s Anne Joseph O’Connell examines who can step in when a top federal position is vacant and what recent court decisions could mean for how those…
Stanford LegalBest of Stanford Legal: Inside the ACLU’s Docket with Anthony Romero
The ACLU’s Anthony Romero unpacks a sweeping docket—from a Supreme Court showdown over birthright citizenship to voting rights and free speech—as the rule of…
Stanford LegalAmerica's Promissory Note
The Declaration as a “promissory note”—and what it demands now In the final discussion of The Declaration at 250 series, Robert P. George, McCormick Professor…
Stanford LegalThe Growing Influence of State Solicitors General
Former state solicitors general Michael Mongan and Kevin Gallagher discuss the evolving role of state solicitors general and how states work together to shape…
Stanford LegalCountering Contemporary Criticism of America's Founding Principles
The real crisis isn’t the Declaration—it’s what we’ve stopped teaching. Peter Berkowitz, Tad and Dianne Taube Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, contends…
Stanford LegalThe Declaration In the Age of General Purpose AI
"The Declaration meets the machine age" In this episode of The Declaration at 250, Michael McConnell frames a question the Founders never confronted: if the…
Stanford LegalThe Iran War and the Limits of Presidential Power
Stanford’s Allen Weiner examines how the U.S. war with Iran raises questions about the president’s power to wage war and negotiate peace. --- The American war…
Stanford LegalIs the Declaration Our Law?
“Two competing originalist instincts” In this episode of The Declaration at 250, Michael McConnell introduces Randy Barnett, the Patrick Hotung Professor of…
Stanford LegalState Constitutions and the Declaration of Independence
This episode highlights an often-missed story: the Declaration of Independence didn’t just shape the U.S. Constitution—it directly shaped state constitutions…
Stanford LegalThe Structural Declaration of Independence
This episode reframes the Declaration of Independence as more than soaring ideals about equality and natural rights. Former California Supreme Court Justice…
Stanford LegalBirthright Citizenship and the Future of the Fourteenth Amendment
Stanford’s Fred Smith examines the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship decision, its historical roots in the Fourteenth Amendment, and the questions the…
Stanford LegalInside the Supreme Court’s Key 2026 Decisions
Jeff Fisher discusses a term marked by major rulings across executive power, voting, and civil rights, and what they signal about the Court’s trajectory. ---…
Stanford LegalThe Declaration of Independence as Obligation
This episode of The Declaration at 250 discussion spotlights a striking—and often overlooked—line in the Declaration of Independence: when despotism becomes…
Stanford LegalThe Case for a Public Share in AI
Jeremy Bearer-Friend and Sarah Polcz discuss their proposal to require leading AI firms to pay taxes in equity, reshaping how the gains from AI are distributed…
Stanford LegalThe Declaration of Independence and Conditions for Democratic Flourishing
In the opening episode of The Declaration at 250, Michael McConnell introduces former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and historian David Kennedy to ask a…
Stanford LegalDeclaration at 250 Trailer
00:00:00 — What new can be said about the Declaration at 250? McConnell opens with the core question and frames 250 years of interpretation, celebration, and…
Stanford LegalInside the Trump Administration's Immigration Agenda
Lucas Guttentag discusses the Trump administration’s immigration policies and the legal battles reshaping the U.S. immigration system --- The birthright…
Stanford LegalThe Law Must Be King
Judge J. Michael Luttig on the Rule of Law in an Era of Executive Overreach --- In this special episode, recorded at the Neukom Center's Rule of Law Speaker…
Stanford LegalWhen Government Lawyers Draw the Line
Former Justice Department officials reflect on an institution at a crossroads --- Former Department of Justice pardon attorney Liz Oyer describes being pulled…
Stanford LegalVoting Rights at a Turning Point
Pamela Karlan and Nathaniel Persily on the Supreme Court’s latest decision on redistricting and minority representation. --- In the wake of the Supreme Court’s…
Stanford LegalWho Gets to Vote?
The ACLU’s Sophia Lin Lakin discusses voting access and the redistricting battles shaping political power --- Sophia Lin Lakin, JD ’11 (MS ’04, BA ’02)…
Stanford LegalNative Nations, Federal Indian Law, and the Birthright Citizenship Case
Stanford’s Greg Ablavsky on the history behind the birthright case --- The 14th Amendment to the Constitution says: “all persons born are naturalized in the…
Stanford LegalThe Politics and Promise of a Billionaire Tax
Stanford Law Alum Darien Shanske on Wealth, Fairness, and California’s Proposed Billionaire Tax --- On this episode of Stanford Legal, host Professor Richard…
Stanford LegalTrump's Immigration Raids and State Pushback
Jennifer Chacón discusses how immigration crackdowns are reshaping policing and public life --- The Trump administration came in promising mass deportation…
Stanford LegalStanford’s Alan Sykes on the Future of Trump’s Tariffs After the IEEPA Case
Supreme Court limits IEEPA tariff power in a 6–3 ruling as Al Sykes and Pam Karlan explain the impact on Congress, trade, and what’s next --- When President…
Stanford LegalA Seismic Shift in Climate Law
Deborah Sivas on the EPA’s Rescission of the Endangerment Finding --- The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it was rescinding the 2009…
Stanford LegalInside the ACLU’s Docket: Anthony Romero on the Front Lines of Civil Rights
The ACLU’s Anthony Romero unpacks a sweeping docket—from a Supreme Court showdown over birthright citizenship to voting rights and free speech—as the rule of…
Stanford LegalThe Importance of Critical Thinking and Civil Discourse in Today's Polarized World
Stanford’s Robert MacCoun shows how scientific habits can sharpen judgment and strengthen civil discourse in a polarized society. --- In a world where…
Stanford LegalHow Democracies Collapse from Within
What happens when the legal tools meant to protect democracy are used to weaken it? Kim Scheppele explains. --- Professor Kim Scheppele has spent much of her…
Stanford LegalFlexing U.S. Power in Venezuela
Stanford Law’s Allen Weiner explores developments in Venezuela and the role—and limits—of international law --- Can the United States arrest a foreign head of…
Stanford LegalBest of Stanford Legal: Trump's Pardons
Political Violence, Hate Groups, and the Rule of Law --- What are the legal implications of the unprecedented mass pardoning of the January 6th rioters? What…
Stanford LegalBest of Stanford Legal: Suing DOGE
Urgent legal questions about privacy protections of the nation’s largest collection of personal data and unprecedented influence of Silicon Valley in…
Stanford LegalNationwide Injunctions After CASA
Mila Sohoni on the New Legal Landscape --- When a single federal judge can freeze a president’s policy nationwide, it raises big questions about checks and…
Stanford LegalCrime, Justice, and Trump’s DOJ
What happens when long-standing norms begin to erode? Jonathan Wroblewski discusses his decades at the DOJ and the forces shaping federal justice --- Over a…
Stanford LegalNavigating Uncertainty and Unprecedented Shifts in Federal Health Policy
Stanford Law’s Michelle Mello discusses how sweeping changes in federal health policy are reshaping public health--and leading states to fill the void --- “The…
Stanford LegalNational Guard or Political Weapon?
Legal historian and constitutional law scholar Professor Bernadette Meyler cautions that the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard threatens…
Stanford LegalPolitical Enemies and the Weaponization of the DOJ
Pam Karlan and Bob Weisberg unpack the Comey and James indictments, and what they reveal about the rule of law in a politicized justice system --- When…
Stanford LegalPresident Trump’s Tariffs and the Separation of Powers at the Supreme Court
The biggest separation-of-powers controversy since the steel seizure case in 1952. --- In April, President Trump declared a national emergency and assumed the…
Stanford LegalGuns, Money, and Mass Shootings
Stanford Law Researchers Discuss How Lobbying Shapes the Political Battlefield --- Frequent mass shootings are a distinctly American problem, with news of…
Stanford LegalU.S. Risking its Scientific Research Edge?
Stanford Law’s Lisa Ouellette discusses the rollback of federal support for vital academic research, the challenge of defending U.S. research from political…
Stanford LegalRedrawing Democracy
Stanford's Pamela Karlan and Nathaniel Persily on the redistricting push in Texas, recent signals from the Supreme Court about the Voting Rights Act, and the…
Stanford LegalTrump’s Executive Orders, Culture Wars, and Civil Rights
Stanford's Rick Banks on the Doctrine of Disparate Impact and the Surprising Case for Meritocracy --- Trump-era executive orders, police hiring standards, and…
Stanford LegalCan the Rule of Law Hold?
Pam Karlan on the Erosion of Norms at the DOJ --- In this episode of Stanford Legal, Professor Pam Karlan talks about the growing politicization of the…
Stanford LegalFree Speech Under Fire: Greg Lukianoff Discusses the Battle for Free Expression on College Campuses
How does the Trump administration's tactics impact elite universities and their freedom of speech? --- Amid escalating federal pressure on universities…
Stanford LegalThe Free Speech Chill
Analyzing the impact of government actions on foreign students' First Amendment rights --- In this episode, Stanford Law Professor Evelyn Douek, a First…
Stanford LegalLeveraging Technology to Improve Access to LA Courts
Stanford researchers help bring innovative solutions to high-volume court, enhancing the self-represented litigant experience and its dedication to leading in…
Stanford LegalTrump Takes on the Federal Bureaucracy, Putting Administrative Law in the Spotlight
Professor Anne Joseph O’Connell discusses the legal and normative implications of Trump's Federal Bureaucracy overhaul --- On February 19 of this year…
Stanford LegalAI, Liability, and Hallucinations in a Changing Tech and Law Environment
Stanford Law researchers Professor Dan Ho and Mirac Suzgun explore the risks and potential of AI in law --- Since ChatGPT came on the scene, numerous incidents…
Stanford LegalThe Trump Administration and the Rule of Law Under Pressure
Criminal law expert David Sklansky on DOJ independence, judicial norms, and law firms under attack --- On March 6, President Trump issued the executive order…
Stanford LegalTrade Wars, Economic Chaos, and Law: Unpacking Trump's Trade Tactics with Alan Sykes
President Trump's tariffs are upending world trade and causing unprecedented upheaval in the financial and diplomatic sectors, with close allies questioning…
Stanford LegalTrump’s Forced Deportations to El Salvador Prisons, Detentions, and Fear on College Campuses
Immigration Law Expert Jennifer Chacón on Trump's Defying Court Orders and Law, College Students, Venezuelans, and Drastic Changes in American Policy --- Do…
Stanford LegalAccountability in Government: Glenn Fine on the Crucial Role of Inspectors General, the Government's Watchdogs
Former IG Glenn Fine joins Pam Karlan to discuss the importance of Inspectors General in government agencies --- How do we prevent or catch mismanagement…
Stanford LegalGaza Conflict: Governance, Rebuilding, and Legal Challenges
Professor Allen Weiner joins Pam Karlan for a look at the legal challenges and humanitarian concerns of the Israel/Gaza conflict --- International Law expert…
- Stanford Legal
Suing DOGE: Musk, Trump, and an Imperial Presidency
Urgent legal questions about privacy protections of the nation’s largest collection of personal data and unprecedented influence of Silicon Valley in…
- Stanford Legal
Trump's Pardons: Political Violence, Hate Groups, and the Rule of Law
What are the legal implications of the unprecedented mass pardoning of the January 6th rioters? What does it say about American rule of law? --- President…