Lawyer & Layman Explain It

***Please note this episode contains sensitive language (antiquated racial slur) - listener discretion is advised*** Lawyer & Layman Explain It has returned…for now!  Martin and Kasey are bringing you a very special episode about the monumental (and possibly best named) Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia –just in time for Loving Day, observed on June 12.  This case struck down bans against...

Kasey and Martin are back, after a bit of an unplanned hiatus!  Your hosts switch gears slightly to bring the focus on a lower federal court: specifically, the District of Rhode Island, where Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. said “nah” to executive actions that resulted in a freeze of federal funds that should be going to states.  Chief Judge McConnell also said “yes” to basic civics education, g...

Martin and Kasey are back with more on the modern Supreme Court!  In between Kasey expressing her disappointment with Martin not knowing who K.P. & Envyi are, the hosts discuss the importance of the swing vote on the Court, and why we should be worried about the fact that there really isn’t a swing voter anymore (at least, not in the way there used to be) among the 9 justices.  They also talk...

After providing listeners with some basic facts about the Supreme Court, and walking through the Court’s history, Kasey and Martin have finally arrived at the modern Court era!  In this episode, the hosts discuss the changes that have occurred since 2005, when Chief Justice Roberts joined the Court.  In that year, tall tees and Baby Phat reigned supreme (ba doom cha), The Wire was on a hiatus, and...

Today’s episode is about a guy who, while in elementary school, uttered the words: “I’m going to change the government!”  He meant it, and did just that. Kasey and Martin discuss Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who served on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1972 to 2005, first as an Associate Justice and then as the Chief Justice.  With Rehnquist at the helm, the Court reached a milestone decision...

Like a novel or movie is often defined by its leading character, the Supreme Court tends to be defined by its Chief Justice.  Today’s episode focuses on a very lucky guy named Earl, who led the Court during a number of influential cases that established some of the critical rights we have today.  Between 1953 and 1969, the United States went through a dramatic shift: schools were integrated, inter...

Lawyer & Layman are back to explain more about the U.S. Supreme Court—this time, they’ll be walking listeners through the Court’s origin story.  This is Part 1 of a three-part discussion.  In this episode, Kasey and Martin will talk about how the Supreme Court went from a made up idea on paper, to a group of 6 dudes ready to ditch their wigs and get down to business.  The hosts will also expla...

Are you sick of campaign ads, mudslinging, and false information about candidates or their policies that keeps popping up everywhere you turn?  Looking for a bright spot during these stressful days leading up to the election?  In this special episode, Kasey and Martin take a break from talking about the Supreme Court to share some of the amazing, inspiring work happening in Portland, Oregon.  The...

Have you ever read a Supreme Court opinion?  Odds are, if you’re not a lawyer or in a law-adjacent field, you haven’t.  And we don’t blame you—those things are long and BORING!!  But, they also shape most (if not all) aspects of our lives.  Who we go to school with, who we can marry, which of our activities can be monitored…those facets are all governed by Supreme Court case law, along with so man...

Do you know why it’s called the “Supreme” Court?  Do you know where the Court is physically located?  Do you know the two categories of cases the Supreme Court can hear?  If ya don’t know, now ya know (at least after listening to this episode!).  Martin and Kasey will explain some of the U.S. Supreme Court basics over the course of two episodes.  Note that these episodes are NOT about the history...

The Voting Rights Act has been called one of the most successful pieces of civil rights legislation.  In this episode, we’re talking about the law that cemented the Fifteenth Amendment and gave Black Americans the right to vote.  We’ll also be talking about two Supreme Court cases that have eroded this important law, and what that means for all of us in the United States today, especially as we ap...

Welcome to the pod! In our very first episode, we’re discussing why Governor Elbridge Gerry and an amphibian are so important. That’s right, we’re talking about gerrymandering: where did the term come from, what does it mean, and how does it impact us today?  We’ll explain how a guy named Elbridge Gerry caved to peer pressure and started it all.  We’ll also talk about two big Supreme Court cases t...

This episode is a brief preview of our upcoming podcast, Lawyer & Layman Explain It. Music: Summer Soirée by Loksii 2024.