Boom! Lawyered

The fight over the Trump administration’s questionable efforts to add a citizenship question to the census has reached the Supreme Court, and a decision looms. Jess and Imani explain the case and how a bad decision could cement inequality for generations. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawyered helps you...

Jess sits down with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to discuss the challenges facing progressive attorneys general in the era of Trump and how they are fighting back against his administration. 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, chip in to k...

This week, the Supreme Court ruled that a provision of an Indiana law mandating the burial or cremation of fetal remains could take effect. At the same time, it blocked a separate provision of the Indiana law banning abortions based on the race, sex, or disability of a fetus. Imani and Jess explain Tuesday’s decision, Justice Clarence Thomas’s opinion equating modern-day family planning with eugen...

Conservative lawmakers are passing total and near-total abortion bans with the explicit hope that they will be used to overturn  Roe v. Wade . But how would that work, exactly? Imani and Jess explain the arguments that would fuel a legal challenge to Roe and how a bad decision could then be used to attack state laws protecting abortion rights. Download Imani's highlighted copy of the Roe v. Wade d...

Franchise Board of California v. Hyatt may not be the most important case of the Supreme Court term, but the fallout from the Court's decision to overturn decades of precedent could have major ramifications for Roe v. Wade . In fact, Justice Stephen Breyer sounded the alarm himself in his dissenting opinion. In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess explain what happened and what it could...

The near-total ban on abortion recently passed in Georgia contrasts sharply with the landmark decision in Kansas that declared abortion a natural right. Jess and Imani explore which of those paths other states are likely to follow and the main reason there's still hope for abortion rights in America. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitm...

The Supreme Court announced this week that it will hear three cases that could determine what, if any, protections LGBTQ employees have from job discrimination. Jess and Imani explain what it means that the Court agreed to hear all three cases together and how the effects of a bad ruling could extend into housing and health-care discrimination. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes...

Imani and Jess discuss the case of Jamal Knox, a young rapper who was convicted for terroristic threats and witness intimidation based on the lyrics of his music. When are words “true threats,” and when are they protected free speech? And why do most court cases on speech seem to be decided in whichever direction benefits white Christian patriarchy? Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Epi...

The Supreme Court will soon decide whether to take a case that would give school districts the ability to affirmatively discriminate against transgender students. Jess and Imani explain how a bad decision in this case could enshrine the bogus concept of "reverse discrimination" into law, putting even more rights—and lives—at risk. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes lik...

In a new filing this week, President Donald Trump's Justice Department declared that it wants the courts to strike down the entirety of the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional. This comes on the heels of a recent district court decision making the same argument by U.S. District Court Judge and noted malcontent Reed O'Connor. Jess and Imani explain this new strategy, the legal errors underpinni...

Jess and Imani answer listener questions across a range of important issues. Where can we find hope for the future of reproductive rights? How soon will people feel the impact of so many recent ultra-conservative judges appointed to the lower courts? And what beverage pairs well with a delicious criminal indictment? Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, researc...

Ryan Magers is suing the Alabama Women's Center for wrongful death because his girlfriend, who was 16 at the time, got an abortion—with the consent of her parents—against Magers's wishes. How is this even possible? And how does this case fit into the ongoing anti-choice campaign for "fetal personhood?" Imani and Jess have those answers and more.  Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.&nb...

Anti-choice politicians are pushing a new legislative strategy to demonize their opponents and confuse the public: so-called Born Alive bills. In this episode of Boom! Lawyered, Imani and Jess dissect the myths propping up this strategy and give you all the tools you need to combat anti-choice lies about later abortion. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, res...

An unforgettable day of testimony on Capitol Hill began with Republicans demanding a do-over because—wait for it—they didn't get documents on time. For anyone who followed the Kavanaugh hearings, that might be funny if it wasn't so sad. And that was just the beginning! In this emergency episode of Boom! Lawyered, Jess and Imani discuss some of the most pressing legal questions and concerning devel...

This week, the Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal by Kathrine McKee, a woman who publicly accused Bill Cosby of raping her more than 40 years ago. As part of this decision, Clarence Thomas issued an alarming concurring opinion that may signal the start of a prolonged attack on the First Amendment in the courts. Imani and Jess explain how this fight may take shape and what could change for...

In several states, there are evangelical adoption and foster care agencies trying to keep federal funding while refusing to place children in LGBTQ or non-Christian families—and now the Trump administration may help them. Jess and Imani break down who's behind these discriminatory efforts and what they mean for kids and parents around the country.  Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Epis...

Last night, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to block an anti-choice law in Louisiana from taking effect while it is being challenged in the courts. John Roberts was the deciding vote. Yes, you read that correctly. Is this a one-time thing, or does this signal that Roberts is moving to the middle on abortion? And what's next for abortion rights in Louisiana and around the country? Join Jess and Imani f...

The Supreme Court issued a stay against an anti-choice law in Louisiana—but only for a few days? Jess and Imani try to make sense of this puzzling move by the Court and what might happen next. 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, chip in to keep our f...

The Fifth Circuit has teed up a big test for Chief Justice John Roberts in a case out of Louisiana that involves hospital admitting privilege requirements for abortion providers. If Roberts respects precedent as much as he says he does, the law should be dead in the water. But is it? Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth....

In the second and final day of confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee William Barr, witnesses testified both for and against his nomination. Some of it was fluff, but some of it was fire. Imani and Jess break down the key takeaways as a confirmation vote draws near. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Bo...

Jess and Imani sift through the testimony of Attorney General nominee William Barr, including his subtle but serious signals that he might be a danger to civil rights and immigration justice. 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, chip in to keep our fe...

The Trump administration plans to take a sledgehammer to the birth control benefit. Imani and Jess explain why its approach might not be entirely legal thanks to a little-known—but super-important—law called the Administrative Procedure Act. Read more from Imani: I Can’t Believe It’s 2019 and We’re Still Arguing About the Birth Control Benefit Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes...

It's the end of the year, but it's just the beginning of a slew of court battles that could reshape our rights. Imani and Jess take stock of the legal highs and lows of 2018 with an eye to what's ahead in 2019. 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, chi...

Several states have tried to find ways to cut Planned Parenthood out of state Medicaid programs. Naturally, lawsuits followed, and this week, the Supreme Court finally weighed in. Jess and Imani discuss what happened and what it means for health care across the country. Expert Repro Journalism That Inspires.  Episodes like this take time, research, and a commitment to the truth. If Boom! Lawy...

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of race, national origin, color, sex, and religion. So why aren’t all LGBTQ people also definitively protected by this law, and whose fault is that? Jess and Imani explain. More: Another Appeals Court Rules That Firing People for Being Gay Is Discrimination Under Title VII Boom! Lawyere...