Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

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A show about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America.Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Recent Reviews
  • AbbyNemo
    EXHILIRATING
    I don’t know how I found AMICUS but I couldn’t be happier. Thank you for the deep dive into the horrendous agenda of the current WH.
  • Littleworldcunningly
    Very Happy to Have Found this Podcast
    Excellent, timely, and thoughtful. Thank you for your diligence.
  • To T or not to Tee
    Insightful analysis and facts!
    This podcast gives insightful analysis and facts that you won’t find in many news stories. It gives perspective on important stories and issues that give the listener a whole new level of understanding and can often help clarify stories that are tricky to interpret with any depth. I appreciate your work!
  • NYTimesadict
    Jefferson
    Thomas Jefferson considered the alien enemies act “worthy of the eighth or ninth century“
  • Billybill1984
    ..
    If this is such a serious topic, and we know that it is, why so much giggling?
  • Deynis1226
    Ok
    Great info but can tolerate the laughing
  • Pumpernickle Pickle
    VERY COMPELLING
    The delivery, the guests, the research and the information is a must listen. This show is life changing.
  • Chianne61
    The best podcast about the law
    Lithwick is erudite and is able to cut through the chaff. She illuminates the issues with a spotlight. However, some of her guests cannot stop the lawyer-speak which circles around and around without getting to the point. I can tell they are unaware sometimes that they are obfuscating, but Lithwick does her best to focus them into plaintalk and clarity. In the case of trained lawyers, employing the phrase “use your words” in a discussion needs a moderator moderating the conversation.
  • Glacier1975
    Critical listen
    Take time for Dahlia.
  • Civil D.
    Smart, Timely, Optimism when applicable
    This is my absolute go-to podcast for current, thoughtful, erudite legal commentary. As Dahlia says of Mark, it’s my “ride or die”.
  • S. Que
    Autocracy
    This episode with Kim Lane Scheppele painted the precise picture I've had in my head this past week. The United States as Hungary. Victor Orban as the felon's model. What she had to tell us is terrifying and motivating. I'll be doing everything I can to help slow this attempt at demolishing our democracy.
  • Bpbluepill
    Clearly
    Dahlia, This week’s episode and your guest Ms. Scheppele was the first time all the elements of this moment were put together for a clear understanding of what is going on. I think we all had some pieces of this but your guest put in historical context the complete picture. I get it now! Thanks to you and all your hard work and humor! Much appreciated in these most frightening of times. Great show!
  • JohnAlpine
    Unconstitutional Rampage
    Great discussion. Your guest was very knowledgeable. He surprised me when he said that Trump’s Exec Orders do not prioritize violent criminals first. This is at odds with what I have heard and read. Can you folks identify exactly where this is written in the EO’s. Great stuff!!!!!!!!
  • Pinky in St Louis
    John Roberts…
    The more I read about this Justice, the more I believe that he was never the legal scholar we were told he was. But when I listen to Ms Lithwick and Ms Ifill, I can still believe that there remains much integrity among legal advocates. To this particular podcast, I say BRAVO! Thank you.
  • BoiseRebola
    One of my favorites!
    I love hearing how the distant obscure workings of the Supreme Court do actually affect the lives of everyday people. I have listened for several years and I look forward to this podcast every week. The style is comfortable and friendly, a real joy to listen to! Dahlia has a great way of making sure we all get on the train before it leaves the station; i.e. always makes sure the topic is clear and explained in non-legaleze. For anyone who is concerned about the Supreme Court rulings like Citizens United, Dobbs, or about the ethics quagmire some justices have fallen into, try out this podcast!
  • Daisy & Zara
    SCOTUS
    SCOTUS will never be trusted and SCOTUS is helping with destruction of The People’s Democracy.
  • @fatarae
    Terrific podcast
    Definitely one of my favorites. If you’re interested in understanding the details of how our judicial system and government work, this one fits the bill!
  • makeupmyname
    a message to the host
    Dahlia is excellent but she does suffer from compulsive nervous laughter. If she could do some mental work on trying to overcome that habit, she’d come across more effectively. These are serious topics, to troubled listeners, and downplaying her integrity — like saying to an interviewee, “Explain this to me like I’m five years old” — along with the giggling is not doing Dahlia (nor women who want to be taken seriously) any favors.
  • profroguerouge
    Interview less thinkers, talk to more doers
    You keep asking questions to lawyers and think tank authors that you should be asking people like labor organizers and civil rights activists. This is why this podcast is informative but disempowering doom listening. The host would feel less helplessness too. Because, no, lawyers and academics are not the front lines of anti-fascism.
  • elysianlight
    I’m a liberal and find this so slanted
    Can’t listen to this garbage anymore than dismisses anyone who disagrees with the host. Prefer listening to Strict Scrutiny. Still liberal but presents the other side intellectually.
  • Callap
    Age
    Can we stop talking about age as if it’s a disease? What difference does it make that one person is X years? I am weary of people saying “in my day” or “I don’t want to say but when I was…”. Sounding apologetic If someone feels uncomfortable with their age then I respectfully ask they keep it to them selves. I love the podcast and the info it offers me in the way I think. Keep it up, please. From someone who’s “old”. AKA still breathing?
  • phy3joy
    Supreme Court
    This podcast is the place to be to learn about what the SCOTUS is up to in the shadow docket, what their decisions mean, & how those decisions may affect our daily lives. The hosts & guests make all that legal mumbo jumbo easy to understand. Dahlia & Mark are just the best.
  • teeberg
    Gun in a Box episode
    I enjoyed this week's Amicus pod with Mark Joseph Stern talking to Eric Tirschwell of Everytown Law. Super informative and interesting ... a maddening topic for folks who are fed up with the gun lobby's bad-faith approach to public safety. Every time Mr. Tischwell noted that cases would be decided by the courts, I couldn't help but be reminded of how the Supreme Court's recent decision overturning the Chevron doctrine will inevitably play out. All those hard facts and statistics studies, gathered and marshaled toward good-faith efforts to protect Americans and their families won't do much good when SCOTUS and lower courts can simply decide for themselves what the facts are. Super depressing.
  • jackitup
    Direct democracy episode
    Thank you for addressing what Trump said about letting things be decided by the states and how that’s not the same necessarily as letting things be decided by the people. It’s been bugging me ever since he said it.
  • Honestery
    Important Info & Ideas for All
    Dahlia and her guests provide engaging conversation on ideas, insights, and information that are truly important for ALL people in American to learn about and consider. You don’t need to be a lawyer or a policy wonk to understand and learn from these people’s brilliance. Many of the topics addressed recently are all the more relevant to historically disempowered people, who also, as a result, tend to have less disposable income and for whom close to $100 yearly to just listen is not doable (especially with increasing prices of bare basics such as food and housing). Since this excellent podcast doesn’t include hired actors, complex sound production, or the licensing of loads of copyrights, and thus likely has lower production costs than some other podcasts, perhaps Slate (and Dahlia) might do the country a good one by significantly lowering the cost of subscription to SlatePlus for listeners who write in to confidentially request it? There is precedent for such allowances, by other popular podcasts and hosts. Please seriously consider! This regular listener would tolerate listening to another (tasteful, ethical) ad or two during the show if it would make a Slate Plus sliding scale subscription possible.
  • Susanadiana
    Excellence
    Excellence! Now how can we get this into the ears and eyes of the majority?
  • k!k!m@su
    David Tatle
    I loved this episode! So awesome to listen to Judge Tatle speak with so much humility about decisions made, opinions written, need for judicial restraint. Comparison of scientific method & judicial method is so applicable. Finally, when he spoke about his guide dog … the tears flowed. Thank u so much for this interview.
  • kaceydee
    Chief Justice Roberts
    Is he still an Order Muppet?
  • FitnessMan80
    Concerned about member only content availability
    Overall I find the episodes to be informative, with guests that are directly relevant to the episode topic. But I’m getting more and more concerned about the member only content. With more & more podcasts having member only content at a cost, it’s becoming more expensive to stay informed about the news and due to cost limiting number of podcasts listening to, might end up with an increased siloed population of listeners. Good example is the current topic today about the dismissal of the classified documents case in Florida. It seems that a topic like this is too important to only provide a “preview” for non members and full episode for the members. I understand it’s not easy to both fund a podcast & find quality content for paying members, but there should really be a focus on informing as many people as possible with the topics often discussed here.
  • P. Johns
    Excellent
    Episode “bleeding out” w ER doc & Idaho’s abortion lawsuit is “ear opening” required listening before SCOTUS oral arguments. Host Dahlia L. has been writing some of the most pointed and clarifying on Dobbs/post-Roe landscape. Glad to have her writing and this podcast so I can listen and share. Note: Please say “women” instead of “pregnant people” - If we can’t even say this is an attack on “every biological woman” then nobody else will either.
  • Dannie Review This
    Worth paying for!
    Yes, it would be nice if this was free. However, I hate listening to ads. Plus, the content is worth the small subscription fee. Thanks for the enlightening and informative content.
  • KiWrFi
    Great show
    A great show for trying to understand the judicial system, which is…complicated! I appreciate your take, your guests, your humor. It is a relief to have intelligent and knowledgeable people translate and chaperone.
  • Krisa A
    Supreme Court’s power trip
    I really appreciated that you guys did not focus on Thursday night’s debate and Biden’s age like all the other media did the past few days. No one is disputing that he had a horrible night and that he is elderly - those are facts. Another fact is he is more experienced, compassionate, level-headed and honest than Trump. Thank you for marking the crucial point that the power of the Presidency is not as encompassing as people think and the current Court is consuming that power all for itself.
  • Sonianic
    Grating voices
    I was listening to a recent episode and while the content was very good I had to stop listening because of the “uptalk" of one of the guests - who was male, and kind of “speak yelling” with this high rising terminal sort of like a wealthy entitled valley girl/boy and I had to turn it off. Maybe I’m getting old but in my opinion if you want to be listened to - than learn to speak like an adult, like a regular person. Even if you’re smart, if you sound like an idiot, people will tune you out.
  • mmaakie
    WTH
    Requiring money to listen to you is a hypocritical treatment of the public you pretend to serve.
  • MargueriteMouse
    Also Disappointed
    See previous review she said it all perfectly. I’m on disability I can’t afford to pay for content. Wish it was still free
  • Pod fan 5838
    Cringe inducing bias
    They don’t even try to hide their bias. At least better legal podcasts like “more perfect” had a visage of non-partisanship, though I do agree with some of what they say. They really need to work on how self-important, sullenly superior, and arrogant they sound while talking about it. It’s actually kind of embarrassing listening to them because you can tell they think they’re so smart/enlightened whenever they say obvious things.
  • sfncar
    Jack forgot Jamestown
    And there it is — the country was founded for freedom of religion and Jack has run his new book onto the rocks of the New England myth. He’s ignoring Jamestown in 1607 — happily Anglican and looking to make money for the Queen and themselves.
  • davpt
    Disappointed Slate+ member
    I’m giving Dahlia five stars because she is an unparalleled legal journalist and an absolute delight to listen to, and also because I’m guessing she doesn’t have a lot of control over Slate’s subscriber model. But that model is disappointing. Amicus recently announced a weekly-free-episode-plus-bonus-episode-for-paid-subscribers model, but it seems the actual model is a formerly-free-episode-gets-cut-in-half-and-only-subscribers-have-access-to-the-second-half model. For example, episodes used to be over an hour. Now they are usually only 30-40 minutes, and the bonus episode is the same length or shorter. Substantively, the bonus episode often feels like the missing half of the free episode (like Pam Karlan on presidential immunity). If you’re going to charge subscribers for “bonus” content, Slate, make it an *actual bonus,* not the other half of an episode we used to get in full for free. We aren’t paying for bonus content, we are paying not to have a reduction in the content we used to get for free. This model feels gross and it’s really disappointing.
  • MAL1776
    Texas
    If you don’t love my Texas go live in one of the ruined blue states. What an affront to our great State! Thank goodness for Greg Abbott . You will NEVER take away our Texas , the Lone Star State 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
  • Bostonfans5
    Don’t dox the jury please
    Judge Merchan called for an anonymous jury for a reason. As a member of the public I do NOT need to know ANYTHING about the jurors! Report on the case, the evidence once presented etc… it shouldn’t be an agonizing decision to refrain from doxxing the jurors Slate.
  • LynnieGoll
    Justice SotoMayor retiring
    First off all I know is what I’ve learned from watching and listening. With that said, I thank you for all that I have learned from you. I just wanted to say on the topic of Justice SotoMayor, how fast did you forget about Justice Merrick Garland?!? You don’t think Joe Mansion and Kyrsten Sinema wouldn’t hold that seat open?!? Thank you for everything!
  • Meiopic
    First Slate Plus separate episode
    The (wonderful) episode with Juliette Kayyem seems to be duplicated as the slate plus special episode…
  • Law aficionado
    All the good stuff is now behind the paywall
    I really enjoyed this show until all the Supreme Court opinions reviews got moved for subscribers only. The “main” show is now just another political podcast, and it is not Dahlia’s forte. I understand the need for revenue but I will now listen to the competition.
  • Ma Joad
    Ugh, the ads!
    Love Dahlia, but can’t listen during a workout bc there are so many ads, frankly I fwd through them.
  • mollyfishny
    Pro-life NO they’re Anti-abortion
    Love this show. But stop calling them pro-life!
  • VSLNew
    Essential
    This podcast is more important than ever for all the court news
  • *GEMenhir
    Interview of Barbara McQuade
    Love Dahlia & B. McQuade!!! Great interview and interesting highlights of her book. I already bought it.
  • blm175
    Really?
    Gives examples of all the dirty tricks conservatives are pulling then says yeah but we all just want to hear good things about our guys so it’s kinda both sides do this but offers no examples of liberals pulling all these dirty tricks. EXACTLY what I would expect from an MSNBC contributor. And yes I have seen a lot of MSNBC. Was hoping this would be better.
  • CAGiacomo
    Barb McQuade’s book
    This podcast is unfailingly smart and illuminating. Regardless, this episode on disinformation is a standout. Should be shared far and wide, including all civics and politics classes.
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