Ipse Dixit

Dr. Kenneth W. McFarland (1906-1985) was a teacher, public speaker, author, and conservative pundit. He was born in Caney, Kansas, received a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State College of Kansas in 1927, a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1931, and a doctorate from Stanford University in 1940. Eventually, he became the superintendent of the Topeka, Kansas school system, and was the...

In this episode, Mark Lemley , William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology, and Partner at Durie Tangri , discusses his views on legal scholarship. Lemley begins by describing his own experience coming up into the legal academe, and how law practice and exposure to diverse ideas stimulate his scholarship on a broad rang...

In this episode, Doron Dorfman , Associate Professor of Law at Syracuse University College of Law , discusses his article " [Un]Usual Suspects: Deservingness, Scarcity, and Disability Rights ," which will be published in the UC Irvine Law Review. Dorfman begins by explaining his work on disability studies, health law, and law & psychology. He briefly explains the basis for modern disability la...

In this episode, Mila Sohoni , Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law, discusses her article " The Trump Administration and the Law of the Lochner Era ," which was published in the Georgetown Law Journal. Sohoni begins by describing what the Lochner era is, how Lochner v. New York came to define an era of jurisprudence, and how that era is conventionally understood. She comp...

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) is a leftist student organization. It was founded in 1960, but originated in the Intercollegiate Socialist Society , which was founded in 1905. SDS rapidly grew and had more than 300 chapters in 1969, when it fractured into factions. Among other things, members of the organization disagreed about whether it should prioritize feminism, or anti-racist and anti...

Wendell Lee "Wendy" Bagwell (1925-1996) was a musician and comedian from Chamblee, Georgia. He was the founding member and leader of the Southern gospel music and comedy trio Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters . The group was active for 33 years and recorded about 40 albums. In 1977, shortly after Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States, Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters recorded an alb...

In this episode, Zahr Said , Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development at the University of Washington School of Law, discusses her article " Craft Beer and the Rising Tide Effect: An Empirical Study of Sharing and Collaboration Among Seattle's Craft Breweries ," which is published in the Lewis & Clark Law Review. Said begins by explaining what craft be...

Anthony "Tony" Schwartz (1923-2008), known as the "wizard of sound" was an American sound archivist, sound designer, media theorist, and advertising creator. Among other things, he helped create the "Daisy" television ad for the 1964 Lyndon Johnson campaign. In 1952, Schwartz began using a portable tape recorder to document his conversations with New York City taxicab drivers. Eventually, he recor...

In this episode, Jeffrey Lipshaw , Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School, discusses his article " Halting, Intuition, Heuristics, and Action: Alan Turing and the Theoretical Constraints on AI-Lawyering ," which was published in the Savannah Law Review, as well as his current work on artificial intelligence. Lipshaw begins by explaining who Alan Turing was, and how he invented the "Turi...

In this episode, Lindsey Barrett , a staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Georgetown University Law Center Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic, discusses her article " Confiding in Con Men: U.S. Privacy Law, the GDPR, and Information Fiduciaries ," which was published in the Seattle University Law Review. Barrett begins by explaining how data privacy is...

On September 18, 1964, Associate Justice William O. Douglas of the United States Supreme Court delivered an address titled "A Nonconformist in Our Society" at City College in New York City. Douglas's talk was the first in a series dedicated to the philosopher and legal scholar Morris Raphael Cohen . Among other things, Douglas discussed the extent to which conformity permeates American society, an...

Bruno Richard Hauptmann (1899-1936) was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the infant son of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, which was known as "The Crime of the Century." Hauptmann was born in Germany, fought in WWI, and emigrated to the United States in 1923. On the evening of March 1, 1932, someone kidnapped 20-month-old Charles Lindbergh, Jr. from his...

In this episode, Tom Simmons , Professor of Law at the University of South Dakota School of Law, discusses his paper, " Conflict-of-Interest-Infected Virtual Representatives and a Cure ," published in the South Dakota Law Review. Simmons begins by providing a broad outline of trusts and the role of both representatives and “virtual representatives” in providing adequate notice to trust beneficiari...

In this episode, Eric Goldman , Professor of Law and Co-Director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law , discusses his article " Emojis and the Law ," which was published in the Washington Law Review, as well as his recent work on content moderation. Goldman begins by explaining what emojis are, who created them, and how they work. He describes how people use emoji...

On March 20, 1968, after an introduction delivered by Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall, Associate Justice Abraham "Abe" Fortas (1910-1982) delivered an address at the American University Washington College of Law Convocation on the 75th Anniversary of American University. Among other things, Fortas discussed the concept of precedent and stare decisis in relation to the Supreme Court's cons...

In this episode, Wendy Netter Epstein , Professor of Law at DePaul University College of Law and Faculty Director of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute, discusses her article " Private Law Alternatives to the Individual Mandate ," which will be published in the Minnesota Law Review. Epstein begins by briefly describing what the Affordable Care Act is and how it works, and the role t...

Hugo Lafayette Black (1886-1971) was a politician and judge from Ashland, Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1906 and practiced law in Birmingham. In the early 1920s, he joined the Ku Klux Klan, but resigned in 1925. In 1926, he was elected to the United States Senate as a Democrat. He was an ardent supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal. H...

On August 10, 1970, Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (1907-1995) of the Supreme Court of the United States delivered a "State of the Judiciary" speech, which was broadcast on CBS. Burger and others hoped that Congress would resolve to ask the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to make an annual State of the Judiciary address before both houses of Congress, but Congress was unenthusiastic. This ...

On March 20, 1968, Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall (1908-93) introduced Associate Justice Abraham "Abe" Fortas (1910-1982) at the American University Washington College of Law Convocation on the 75th Anniversary of American University. This is a recording of Marshall's introduction. This recording is from the Michigan State University G. Robert Vincent Voice Library collection. Hosted on Acast...

In this episode, Leah Chan Grinvald , Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School, and Ofer Tur-Sinai , Associate Professor of Law at Ono Academic College in Israel, discuss their article " Intellectual Property Law and the Right to Repair ," which will be published in the Fordham Law Review. Grinvald and Tur-Sinai begin by explaining what the "right t...

Asa F. Martin (1900-1979) was an old-time singer and guitarist from Winchester, Kentucky. Dock Philipine "Fiddlin' Doc" Roberts (1897-1978) was an old-time fiddler from Madison County, Kentucky. Martin and Roberts met at a music convention in Winchester, and soon began performing together. They made their recording debut as a duo on Gennett records in 1928, and quickly became popular. Martin and R...

MAD Magazine is a humor magazine founded in 1952 by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines. It was extremely popular and influential in the mid-20th century, especially under editor Al Feldstein (1956-84), peaking in circulation at 2 million in 1974. It has published 550 regular issues, as well as hundreds of special editions. On July 2, 2019, MAD announced that it would stop publishi...

President Richard M. Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, and President Gerald R. Ford, Jr. was sworn in the following day. Soon afterward, Histronix, a record label located at 6367 Selma Avenue, Hollywood, California 90028 released an acetate LP. Side 1 is labeled, "President Nixon's Resignation Speech, August 9, 1974." Side 2 is labeled, "President Ford's Swearing In and First Speech to America, Au...

In this episode, Daniel B. Rice , an Associate at Georgetown University Law Center Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, discusses his article " Nonenforcement by Accretion: The Logan Act and the Take Care Clause ," which was published in the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Rice begins by explaining what the Logan Act is, how it was enacted, and its 220 year history of non-enforcem...

In this episode, Jonah B. Gelbach , Professor of Law at University of California Berkeley School of Law, discusses his draft article "Estimation Evidence," which will be published in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Gelbach begins by explaining what "statistical estimation evidence" is and the different ways in which it can be evaluated. He explains how courts currently review the statis...