Boom! Lawyered

We have some big news for Boom! Lawyered subscribers: Jess and Imani are launching a second podcast series on February 25th!  It's not available yet, but we wanted to give our listeners a special preview... The new show is called We'll Hear Arguments, and it explores the dramatic, inspiring, and infuriating arguments of Roe v. Wade from 1971 and 1972. This journey into the past is extremely releva...

Federalist Society heavyweight Leonard Leo is one of the primary architects of the conservative takeover of the federal courts. Now, he's got a new dark money project that could cement that takeover for a generation or more. Imani and Jess explain Leo's new plan and just how scary things could get if it works. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and...

Reason bans! D&E bans! Pre-viability bans! TRAP laws! And a landmark Supreme Court case.  2020 is shaping up to be a wild ride for abortion rights in the United States. In our final Boom! Lawyered episode of 2019, Imani and Jess map out everything worth following in the year ahead. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. I...

Today, the Supreme Court declined an appeal challenging a Kentucky law that forces doctors to show and describe ultrasound images before performing an abortion—even if patients avert their eyes or ask the doctor to stop. In this emergency episode, Jess and Imani explain what this means for the First Amendment and abortion rights in Kentucky and around the country. Expert Repro Journalism That Insp...

June Medical Services v. Gee  could upend over four decades of abortion rights precedent when the case goes before the U.S. Supreme Court in March. That's because, as part of their decision, the justices will rule on whether abortion providers can sue on behalf of their patients. Imani and Jess explain why this is a big deal and how the Court is likely to decide. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspi...

Have you ever wondered what would happen if someone tried to perform an abortion while committing arson or burglary? Ohio lawmakers have, and they've proposed a massive new ban to deal with that hypothetical—and a whole lot more. Jess and Imani break down a 723-page bill that will leave your jaw on the floor. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and...

When is a ban not a ban? When it's a deadline! Imani and Jess dive into the absurd arguments that Arkansas is making in the hopes that its pre-viability abortion ban will stick. Will the courts buy these new claims? Are other states following suit? B!L answers those questions and more.  Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the tru...

Imani and Jess debunk the latest frontier in junk science: "abortion reversal." As more states pass laws forcing doctors to promote this myth, the courts continue to step in and block them. But if more people don't recognize the bad-faith claims underlying "abortion reversal," that could change—and sooner than we might think. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take tim...

During recent Supreme Court arguments about trans rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, one of the justices appeared to buy into the idea of "bathroom panic." That may not seem surprising—except that the justice in question was Sonia Sotomayor. Imani and Jess explain what happened, where Justice Sotomayor went wrong, and why "bathroom panic" arguments don't hold up under scrutiny. Expert...

There's only one abortion clinic left in Kentucky, and by law its doctors must place ultrasound images in the patient’s view and read a state-mandated script. Recently, the ACLU filed a petition on behalf of the clinic asking the Supreme Court to step in. Imani and Jess explain the forced ultrasound law, its harms, and how the Roberts Court could protect—or devastate—the free speech rights of prov...

This morning, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the three cases that will ultimately decide whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects gay and trans employees from employment discrimination. Jess attended the arguments and then joined Imani for a breakdown of the most important moments. Jess then interviews Claudia Trevor-Wright about the experience of being arrested during Court-relate...

Friday morning, the Supreme Court announced it was taking June Medical Services v. Gee . In this emergency episode of Boom! Lawyered, Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy discuss why this is a direct threat to reproductive rights and the value of legal precedent. For more, please read: Supreme Court Takes First Abortion Rights Case With Kavanaugh on the Bench Boom! Lawyered: Standing Edition Exper...

On October 8, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a trio of cases to determine whether sexual orientation discrimination is sex discrimination and thus prevented under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Jess and Imani explain these landmark cases and what to expect from the day of arguments next week. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a c...

The first full Supreme Court term featuring Brett Kavanaugh is less than a week away. Jess and Imani preview the important abortion rights cases to keep an eye on and everything that hangs in the balance. For all the latest updates on these cases and more, visit Rewire. News . Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boo...

The last couple years have been a wild ride, to say the least. Boom! Lawyered celebrates our two-year anniversary by looking ahead to the next two years. What's in store for reproductive rights, LGBTQ equality, and the integrity of the Supreme Court? Jess and Imani offer their predictions—and a ray of hope. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a...

In Chicago, no one within 50 feet of an abortion clinic is allowed to get closer than eight feet to another person. Anti-choice groups have challenged this "bubble zone" ordinance, and the Supreme Court is about to decide whether to hear them out. Jess and Imani explain what's at stake for clinics, providers, and patients in Chicago and around the country if John Roberts and friends take...

The Department of Labor has proposed a rule that could gut civil rights protections for the employees of more than 42,000 businesses that hold a federal contract. Imani and Jess explain the rule, its impact, and why former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia might roll over in his grave if he knew his son could be tasked with enforcing it.  Anyone can comment on this law here . Expert Repro Journ...

This week, a federal court blocked Missouri’s multi-week gestational ban. But did you know that another restriction banning abortions based on the race, sex, or Down syndrome diagnosis of a fetus was allowed to take effect? Jess and Imani explain the faulty logic of these bans and how this decision paves the way for more trouble down the road. Read more from Jess here . Expert Repro Journalism Tha...

Planned Parenthood recently announced it will withdraw from the federal family planning program known as Title X because of President Donald Trump’s domestic "gag rule." Imani and Jess explain this crisis and how Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts helped lay the foundation for it. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment...

Shameless Tennessee lawmakers are trying to redefine fetal viability in a way that makes no medical sense and is designed as a direct attack on Roe v. Wade . Jess and Imani explain what makes this bill a dangerous escalation in the decades-long crusade to overturn Roe . Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawy...

Recently, the ultra-conservative 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated an involuntary manslaughter charge against a Native woman from Sisseton, South Dakota. That charge is based on allegations that she ingested illegal drugs while pregnant, resulting in the death of her newborn. Jess and Imani explain why this decision is an alarming escalation of the anti-choice efforts to establish fetal pers...

It's no secret that Imani and Jess are as close as they are smart. But what secrets have they kept from each other? And what secrets have they kept from us? All is revealed on this special episode of Boom! Lawyered. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you understand what’s at stake in our courts...

SisterSong v. Kemp may be the first major lawsuit centering the reality that attacks on access to abortion care disproportionately harm communities of color. Imani and Jess explain the case and how it could introduce the concept of reproductive justice to the Supreme Court.   Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom...

Last week, a Department of Justice lawyer stunned the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals when she argued that it is “safe and sanitary” to confine immigrant children for indefinite periods of time without basic needs like soap or toothbrushes. Jess and Imani explain the legal framework meant to protect these children and how the Trump administration intends to dismantle it. Expert Repro Journalism Tha...

Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that policies targeting transgender people are sex-based discrimination that must meet heightened scrutiny to be constitutional. This is a big deal! Imani and Jess evaluate this important—but qualified—win for transgender rights and what it means for those rights in the future. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take...