Amicus: A Law Review

Jim Santelle delves into a whirlwind of judicial decisions and looming legal battles as 2025 closes. He critiques the prosecutorial discretion in Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan's conviction and explores the intricacies of prosecutorial decision-making. The episode highlights a dramatic Supreme Court ruling barring Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago, emphasizing constrai...

Jim starts the show with his opening statement, a review of everything he will be covering on today's episode, including the verdict in the case against Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan. He also discusses his thoughts on the impact of criminal prosecution and the ability to hold two opinions on the same topic. In the matter of Judge Dugan, Jim talks about the word "deterrence" and...

This episode dives into the Supreme Court's latest oral arguments, tackling presidential powers, campaign finance, and the death penalty. First, the court considers overturning a 90-year precedent that limits presidential authority to fire members of independent agencies, potentially granting unprecedented executive power. Next, campaign finance rules are questioned, as the GOP challenges limits o...

This episode delves into the labyrinth of justice, exploring the unchecked power of presidential pardons and their implications. Jim Santelle scrutinizes recent controversial pardons, including that of Juan Orlando Hernandez, convicted for massive drug trafficking, juxtaposed against the U.S. military's aggressive actions against alleged drug-running Venezuelan boats. Jim also dissects major Supre...

This week's legal landscape is ablaze with a federal judge dismissing major prosecutions against James Comey and Letitia James due to improper U.S. attorney appointments, sparking chaos in Virginia's U.S. attorney's office and a promised appeal. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court stirs the pot with a Texas gerrymandering case, as Justice Alito suspends a ruling against racially biased district maps, set...

In the immediate aftermath of what had to be among the most stunning series of revelations of the incompetence, the depravity, the recklessness, and the hubris of the Justice Department, this week's installment of "Amicus: A Law Review" focuses dramatic attention on three hearings in the conduct of the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey: Beginning with a reminder of the gobsmacking que...

Welcome to the show and today's episode dives deep into the whirlwind of recent Supreme Court activities. Host and Former US Attorney Jim Santelle dissects the Court's decision conferences, highlighting the denial of Kim Davis's appeal against same-sex marriage and a new case on Mississippi's mail-in ballot law. The Court's fascination with religion gets another spotlight in the Landor case, where...

The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week regarding whether or not the president has the power to levy tariffs , essentially sidestepping the power of The Congress and Article 1 of The US Constitution . A majority of the show is dedicated to this very important case and we hear from John Sauer, the US Solicitor General , as well as the Justices. And in this matter where The Court has sid...

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. This week, federal courts were a battleground as judges confronted executive overreach, issuing injunctions to stop disruptive policies of the Trump Administration amid the federal government shutdown. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, judges ordered the administration to release emergency SNAP funds, defying c...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review. This week, Jim Santelle unpacks a whirlwind of legal controversies surrounding presidential authority. He delves into high-profile prosecutions of Trump's adversaries, James Comey, Letitia James, and John Bolton, highlighting motions for dismissal amid claims of vindictive prosecution. Jim scrutinizes Trump's use of pardon power, notably...

Good morning and welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review. On today's episode, Jim Santelle dives deep into the potential dismantling of the Voting Rights Act as the Supreme Court weighs Louisiana v. Calais, a case that challenges Section II's necessity in modern America. Justices Kavanaugh and Jackson spar over the Act's relevance, with implications for the 2026 elections. Meanw...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. On this edition, Jim dives into the week's legal dramas, starting with the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, exploring allegations of vindictive prosecution under President Trump's directives. Then, Jim transitions to discuss the President's controversial attempts...

To open the show up, Jim gives an overview on what we are going to talk about today. The Fall Docket of the US Supreme Court is starting next week and a little know decision from the 1930's is coming back into the conversation and Jim will cover it all, as well as other topics. Jim gives an overview of something called "Humphrey's Executor" and how it's still vital and used today, but of course, i...

On this weekend's special edition of "Amicus: A Law Review," we will report on and address a wide variety of topics related to the government-shocking and justice-fracturing criminal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey: That extensive analysis will begin with explanations of the charges against him, the mechanisms that produced them, and what might reasonably follow in the weeks and mont...

This weekend on Amicus: A Law Review, Jim Santelle dives into the turbulent news of American civics and constitutional integrity. At the Supreme Court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor decries the decline in civics education, warning of confusion between presidents and kings, while Trump proposes alarming expansions of presidential powers, including targeting 'narco-terrorists.' Plus, the administration's...

Good morning an thank you for joining another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. Following a week marked by tragic violence at Utah Valley University and Evergreen High School, the show takes a look at the First and Second Amendments' scope and restrictions. Jim Santelle then shares a critique of the Supreme Court's shadow docket, highlighting rulings that alter law enforce...

Your host, Jim Santelle gets right into the moment with so much news happening in the world of law. We discuss the new docket coming up for The Supreme Court starting this Fall and what we should expect. Next, a fully funded, mostly completed green energy project is being stopped for "security reasons", but we know it's because the Commander-In-Chief is swinging at windmills . Then, Supreme Court...

On this weekend's edition of Amicus: A Law Review, Jim Santelle dives into a week of judicial fireworks as courts across America rebuke presidential actions. The Federal Circuit Court delivers a crushing blow to Trump's sweeping tariffs, declaring them unconstitutional and beyond presidential power. Meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit protects Venezuelan immigrants' temporary status against executive ove...

In a fiery dissection of recent legal dramas, Jim Santelle navigates the stormy seas of politics entangled with law enforcement.  The FBI's raid on John Bolton's home raises questions about the mix of retribution and legitimate investigation and the misuse of classified documents, as federal agents seek evidence of potential Espionage Act violations . Meanwhile,  the spectacle of Ghislai...

Good morning and thank you for joining us for another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. This weekend's syllabus includes a riveting discussion on the fraying rule of law, spotlighting unsettling trends in judicial and governmental actions. Jim walks through instances of judges grappling with the Supreme Court's shadow docket, leading to 'malicious compliance' and in some c...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review. Jim Santelle guides you through a tumultuous landscape, federal judges are increasingly at odds with the Supreme Court, pushing back against executive orders on birthright citizenship, deportations, and arts funding cuts. This defiance, termed departmentalism, challenges the traditional presumption of regularity, as judges question the tr...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. What is happening in Texas? Jim dives into the incident surrounding redistricting and gerrymandering, with the southern state at the forefront of a rare, controversial mid-decade map redraw that could potentially shift political balances nationally. Plus, the Supreme Court's involvement in a Louisiana redistricting case...

Jim Santelle, a former United States Attorney in Wisconsin and Justice Department official in Washington, is among Civic Media’s resident legal commentators and frequent on-air analysts. Join Jim each Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for “Amicus: A Law Review,” as current events meet civics understanding—through in-depth analysis and discussion (including your listener calls) of the most...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with Jim Santelle. Kicking off the show, Jim dives deep into the murky waters of the Supreme Court's "shadow docket," where emergency rulings sans explanations are reshaping American law. Plus, with rampant firings at the Department of Justice, seasoned attorneys like Maureen Comey and ethics chief Joseph Terrell are ousted, reflecting Tru...

Welcome to another weekend edition of Amicus: A Law Review with your host Jim Santelle. Dive into the weekend's whirlwind of legal drama with Santelle taking a closer looks as Wisconsin's Supreme Court bolsters gubernatorial rulemaking, striking a blow against conversion therapy bans and redefining legislative power. It has been a busy week in the state when it comes to legal news. Taking a look b...