How Our Constitution Works ... And Why It Doesn’t

In this episode of How Our Constitution Works and Why It Doesn't, hosts William Cooper and Edward Larson sit down with Zachary Shemtob, executive editor of SCOTUSblog, for a deep dive into the historical origins, modern perceptions, and institutional limits of the Supreme Court. The discussion traces the evolution of the Court’s role from the Founders' original expectations to its current position...

Here's the argument in the case in which the high court struck down dinald trump's tariffs. No commentary, no spin—just the raw, unedited oral arguments from Learning Resources v. Trump, where the United States Supreme Court tested the outer limits of presidential power. ​Listen in as Solicitor General D. John Sauer defends President Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers...

In this compelling episode, William Cooper and Ed Larson explore the turbulent history of free speech and free press in America—from the Founding Fathers' vision of press freedom as a "bulwark of liberty" to today's battles over media access and truth. Discover how the same government that enshrined free press in the Constitution also passed the Sedition Acts to silence critics, and learn why the...

We discuss the pitfalls of enforcing the constitution when officials are not virtuous.  

Students strolling through the courtyard at Loyola Law School may occasionally be a bit baffled to hear a grown woman shouting, “Last call for a good time!” Two surprises: One, she’s talking about a law class. Second, she’s entirely not kidding.  “I do want the students to love the law,” says Laurie Levenson, the author of the call and a longtime LLS professor. Her sometimes playful manner, she sa...

A wide-ranging discussion with the chief legal affairs correspondent of The New York Times and the host of The Docket, a newsletter on legal developments. According to Adam: I try to make legal materials accessible to readers by translating jargon into something like accessible prose. I aim to put lawsuits and court decisions into a larger context, staying alert to political realities and practica...

We discuss the biggest cases of the recent term, covering voting rights, federalism, and presidential power in the Trump era.  

We discuss free speech under the First Amendment. His biography: https://www.hoover.org/profiles/eugene-volokh His recent article: http://www.law.ucla.edu/volokh/addiction.pdf (“Addiction to Constitutionally Protected Activity: Speech, Press, Addiction to Constitutionally Protected Activity: Speech, Press, and Religion”)

We discuss Melissa's fantastic new bestselling book, The U.S. Constitution A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader .   Melissa Murray is the Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law at NYU. Her award-winning public law scholarship considers constitutional law, family law, and reproductive rights and justice. Murray has written extensively about the Supreme Court, the legal...

Two of the most important passages in the history of modern political affairs.

How Our Constitution Works And Why It Doesn't:   More from Professor Solove, the leading scholar in this space.   Privacy in Authoritarian Times: Surveillance Capitalism and Government Surveillance 67 Boston College Law Review 51 (2026)   Is the Fourth Amendment Third Party Doctrine Dead? Thoughts on Chatrie v. United States https://danielsolove.substack.com/p/is-the-fourth-amendment-third-party  ...

How Our Constitution Works And Why It Doesn't: We discuss the essential role of congressional oversight in our constitutional constellation. 

Yet another area where the Trump administration is pushing the boundaries.

A reasoned debate on a controversial topic.

It's been quite a week.

We discuss her work in free speech and her contribution to Harvard Law's new book, America Unfinished. https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/rebecca-tushnet/ https://hls.harvard.edu/america-unfinished/  

We discuss a new book by Harvard's faculty that he contributed to, and his thoughts on American democracy today. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/842833/america-unfinished-by-edited-by-alexandra-natapoff-and-guy-uriel-e-charles/

We discuss an array of ways the constitution isn't working with Texas and Harvard law professor Sandy Levinson. https://law.utexas.edu/faculty/sanford-v-levinson/

A reasoned discussion (of all things!) about this hotbed issue.

An easy question to answer: it violates the constitution. Here's why.

An in-depth discussion on this essential topic with law professor Ned Foley of Ohio State, the leading scholar in this area. https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/edward-b-foley-ba-jd

We discuss the legendary legal scholar's new The New York Times opinion piece,  By Week's End, Trump's War Will Be Plainly Illegal.  We also hear about his new book, Campus Speech and Academic Freedom: A Guide for Difficult Times. A wonderful conversation with the Dean of UC Berkeley Law.  

There is a pathway in the constitution. Allow us to explain.

A substantive discussion about one of constitutional law's most controversial topics.

A deep dive into this key constitutional battleground. Trump is very focused on the 2026 midterm elections. What can he do from a constitutional perspective? A huge question for the country.