Opening Arguments Media LLC
Opening Arguments
Opening Arguments is a law show that helps you make sense of the news! Comedian Thomas Smith brings on legal analysts to help you understand not only current events, but also deeper legal concepts and areas! The typical schedule will be M-W-F with Monday being a deep-dive, Wednesday being Thomas Takes the Bar Exam and patron shoutouts, and Friday being a rapid response to legal issues in the news!
Author
Opening Arguments Media LLC
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jul 10, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
OA637: Trump's Appeal Is On Clarence Thomas's Desk, But That's Ok 07.10.2022 59:59
I mean it isn't really ok that Clarence Thomas is on the Supreme Court, and he definitely should recuse himself from any of this (he won't), HOWEVER, there is no need to freak out about this particular thing. Andrew has the breakdown. Plus, Ken Paxton avoided a deposition... until he didn't. Because he's an idiot. And finally, is Elon Musk going to buy Twitter? And therefore was Andrew wrong? Well...
OA636: Finally, a Deep-Dive on Citizens United! 04.10.2022 1:06:17
Look it seems impossible, but someone Andrew insists that we've never done a deep-dive on Citizens United! It's obviously one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history, but do you know the details of just HOW terrible it was? Listener Thomas S. certainly didn't. So listen in and be dumbfounded at how tf we got here. Links: Wealth Inequality in the U.S. by Household Type , Has Wealth Inequali...
OA635: Trump Gets His Special Master, Immediately Regrets It 30.09.2022 1:18:07
You can't quite call it f around and find out, since Judge Cannon has bent over backwards and around and through the 4th dimension and back in time for Trump. But Trump got his hand picked Special Master and quickly found out... he's just a Reagan Republican. Not a Qanon shaman. Trump has been caught it 11 different traps. OR WOULD HAVE BEEN except for the absolutely Cannon ball that dropped right...
OA634: Wizards of the Coast vs. Transphobic Racists 27.09.2022 59:21
Some transphobic and racist a$$holes stole a DnD-like game from Wizards of the Coast and tried to use it for their own racist transphobic purposes with a really stupid "one weird trick." They got busted and dueling lawsuits followed. Andrew has the breakdown! Links: complaint against wizards, answer and counterclaim , TSR Online Store , Wizards of the Coast files lawsuit against TSR LLC , Schuh af...
OA633: Why Adnan Was Released 23.09.2022 1:27:14
No doubt you've heard the huge news – Adnan Syed has been released. So what happened? Is there really new evidence? New suspects? Does this mean he didn't actually kill Hae? Find out! Then, big news in the Nara-Lago case! We recorded a breakdown before the 11th Circuit granted DoJ's appeal, and then Andrew was able to record a follow up after! So, tons of stuff in today's show! Links: Other Postco...
OA632: Alex Jones's Lawyers Still Don't Know WTF They're Doing 20.09.2022 1:06:34
Despicable a**hole Alex Jones is getting properly destroyed in court once again. You might be thinking, what is it Groundhog Day? But no, this is not the Texas trial in which he got suitably destroyed. This is yet another trial over his disgusting lies about Sandy Hook. This one is being tried in Connecticut, which you may recognize as the state where Sandy Hook happened. If you thought his lawyer...
OA631: Updates on Trump Treason! 16.09.2022 1:10:31
Listen as local attorney P. Andrew Torrez attempts to beat the Guinness World Record for most bullet points covered in an OA episode! From candid golf shots, to mystery DC tarmac photos, to subpoenas and sh*t rulings by a sh*t judge, this week brings 8 Trump Treason items to update you on! And of course, plenty mini-dives on the way! Links: NY Attorney General May Sue Trump , Eastman Emails , Mark...
OA630: Court Says Employers Can Deny Even More Healthcare Because... Religion 13.09.2022 1:09:18
Reason number a billion why we need to prevent right wing Christian Nationalists from ever having any power at all in this country – Braidwood Management, Inc. v. Becerra . Under Republican rule, if I have a 'sincerely held belief' that bats are birds, no one is allowed to question that or tell me I'm wrong, and I can refuse to pay for any healthcare I want if I can link it to my stupid belief. Li...
OA629: Hack Judge Hands Trump a Win. What Comes Next? 09.09.2022 1:05:29
The napkin with crayon scribbling on it that Trump's lawyers submitted was somehow... granted? by Judge Cannon, whom we now know to be a complete MAGA hack. This ruling was such an embarrassment to the rule of law that even Republican judges will recognize it. So what comes next? What will an appeal look like? Also Andrew covers the brilliant strategy undertaken by DoJ lawyers that will give them...
OA628: Sarah Palin LOSES! A Win for Ranked Choice? 06.09.2022 59:29
It's a situation as confusing as it is incredible – Sarah Palin, who won an open primary for the AK House Seat, has LOST. The Democrat, Mary Peltola, despite coming in LAST in the primary, has WON! How did this happen? Ranked choice voting! But is that good? Does this make sense? Imagine if this were the Democratic equivalent, would we be happy? Or would it not happen? Then, Better Call Saul is be...
Sneak Peak! AMERICAN SCANDAL: Snowden 05.09.2022 5:49
The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, took a large toll on America’s sense of security. In the dawn of this new era, Congress moved to take swift action by creating the Patriot Act. The stated goal was to identify and strike back against terrorists, but in practice, the law had much wider-reaching effects. But everything changed in 2013 when an intelligence contractor named Edward Snowden...
OA627: How To Convict Donald Trump 02.09.2022 1:15:22
The more we learn, the worse it gets for Trump. It's almost like he's a pathological narcissist without any regard for laws. Today Andrew breaks down two ways to convict Trump, using two different provisions of the law. Links: motion opposing special master , DOJ exhibits , United States v. Gonzalez , 18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information , Proving Intent at Ma...
OA626: F(boi)POTUS Is So Porked 30.08.2022 1:12:59
For real, things are not going well for Trump. We get that he's Teflon Don, but even those teflon pans get messed up if you scratch them with a knife or if they steal a bunch of top secret documents. Listen and enjoy as Andrew details the many ways Trump is having a very bad law thingy. Links: Response to Media Queries About Presidential Records , Redacted warrant affidavit , Trump's terrible moti...
OA625: Student Loan Forgiveness! 26.08.2022 1:13:40
Biden not only kept his campaign promise, but expanded on it! Andrew breaks down the history of the student loan debt problem and what Biden's plan is. It's good news!
OA624: Good News Show! Williams v. Kincaid Sets a Good Precedent for Trans Rights 23.08.2022 1:03:54
Perhaps we can have good things? Andrew breaks down Williams v. Kincaid , a 4th Circuit case that actually sets a positive precedent for trans rights! After that, we interview Jalessah Jackson, Executive Director of ARC Southeast - one of the abortion funds that OA listeners raised an incredible amount of money for! Links: 42 U.S. Code Chapter 126 ADA, 42 U.S. Code § 12211 - Definitions exception
OA623: This Week in High Treason 19.08.2022 1:11:57
There's still SO much to talk about in the Mar-a-Lago Treason Trove! Lots of updates on that, plus the Weiselberg plea, Trump passports, and more! We also squeeze in a wildcard on Alex Jones's loser lawyers. Links: The Atlantic article that is wrong, 42 U.S. Code § 2274 - Communication of Restricted Data , Jonathan Toebbe case , 10 CFR Part 1045 -- Nuclear Classification and Declassification , Cla...
OA622: Will Alex Jones' Damages Be Capped by Texas Law? 16.08.2022 1:00:32
The unfortunate answer is... yes. BUT. There may be a one weird trick that actually could sidestep this! Listen in for the breakdown and why there is a sliver of hope on this really terrible nonsense. After that, we talk about our Matthew Hoh interview and the response we have gotten. Links: Texas bill , More TX statutes , Texas Constitution , Hanna v. Sweeney, 78 Conn. 492 , NCSBE certified GP a...
OA621 Extra! More on Mar-a-Lago 13.08.2022 1:07:28
So much breaking news, we did an extra episode for you!
OA621: The FBI Goes to Mar-a-Lago! This Is Big... 12.08.2022 1:19:18
If you're anything like me, you've been waiting for the Andrew breakdown of the FBI warrant service on Mar-a-Lago. Well, here it is, PLUS breaking news while we were recording! We didn't yet have the info that it might be nuclear documents, which makes everything Andrew said EVEN MORE right. Links: 18 U.S. Code § 3109 , 18 U.S. Code § 3103a - Additional grounds for issuing warrant , List of attorn...
OA620: OA Debates Green Party Candidate Matthew Hoh 09.08.2022 1:24:51
Listeners will know we have been incredibly hostile to the idea of voting for or running as a third party candidate. Despite that, Matthew Hoh, Green Party candidate for Senate in NC, accepted Andrew's invitation to come on the show. So why is he running? Can we convince him it's a bad idea? Listen and find out!
OA619: OK, Alex Jones's Lawyers REALLY Don't Know WTF They're Doing 05.08.2022 1:12:08
This is... wow. Just wow. Jones's lawyers accidentally handed over his entire cell phone and didn't remedy it when they could have. Just staggering. Get Andrew's full breakdown of this glorious happening. Also, GOOD NEWS FROM KANSAS! The people of Kansas did a good thing. And Pat Cipollone was subpoenaed by the Justice Dept! All in all just a really good news episode. Links: Hodes & Nauser v. Schm...
OA618: The Case That Could Allow Republicans to Steal 2024 02.08.2022 1:04:05
In today's doom coverage, Andrew breaks down Moore v. Harper and how it is completely outrageous that the Supreme Court granted cert. It's bad. It's real bad. But guess what! It's also worse. In the first segment, we talk about the likelihood that the Secret Service texts were lost accidentally. Lots of tech people contacted us about prior coverage. Links: Cert petition , Amicus by the national Re...
OA617: Alex Jones' Lawyers Have No F*cking Idea What They're Doing 29.07.2022 1:12:26
There was a truly amazing moment in the Alex Jones trial that we can't wait to share with you. And, it's a chance for some law talkin'! Jones' lawyers are completely inept and we should all enjoy nice things. Then, Andrew takes us through an interesting election situation in North Carolina involving the Green Party. Guess what, they still suck and are helping Republicans win! So much so that Repub...
OA616: The Final Jan 6 Hearing. OR IS IT? 26.07.2022 1:14:13
The 8th and final(???) Jan 6. Hearing happened in prime time on Thursday. We saved our Monday deep dive for it! As usual, Andrew breaks it down with clips! Also, Bannon found guilty! and Jeff Clark hit with disciplinary hearings! What a great day! Links: 2 U.S. Code § 192 - Refusal of witness to testify or produce papers . Jeff Clarke proceedings , Opening Arguments live tweet thread, 18 U.S. Code...
OA615: Rep. Jared Huffman on the Health Share Transparency Act 22.07.2022 1:10:18
You may remember the ripoff scam that is Christian Health Share Ministries from such episodes as OA497: Christian Health Sharing Is a Scam and OA530: Andrew Testifies to Congress on Christian Healthshare Ministries! Well, as a direct result of Andrew's House testimony, Rep. Jared Huffman has sponsored and introduced a new bill to fight back against this scam! It's H.R.8324 - Health Share Transpare...
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