The U.S. legal system is complicated. Even if you were born and raised in the United States, you likely didn’t get a thorough overview of our legal principles in your schooling unless you went to law school. With legal topics frequently in the news, you may be left wondering about aspects of American law. Why do courts decide cases the way they do? Why don’t legal rulings always comport with what seems like common sense?
As long-time readers know, I like to listen to podcasts, particularly educational ones. In this post, I thought I’d round up some of my favorite law-related podcasts that can help you gain a better understanding of the legal concepts that shape current events and daily life in the United States. Readers, what are your favorite legal podcasts? Please tell us in the comments.
For Everyone:
- Radiolab Presents: More Perfect. This podcast explores the stories behind important Supreme Court decisions. As a lawyer, I’m familiar with most of the decisions discussed, but the background information is new to me. It’s fascinating to hear about the people behind the cases and how each case made its way to the Supreme Court.
- MPB Think Radio’s In Legal Terms. This is a call-in show produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting that often focuses on legal topics in the news. A law professor and subject matter expert are available to discuss each topic and answer listener questions. Though the topics are sometimes controversial, this is a nonpartisan show. Recent topics include sexual harassment and sexual assault, tax reform, child advocacy, and the Second Amendment.
- Your Weekly Constitutional. This show is hosted by a constitutional law professor in my region and distributed on several public radio stations around the country. It addresses constitutional issues that impact current events as well as other interesting topics related to the United States Constitution. There is a call-in quiz portion for those listening in real time.
For Lawyers:
With the exception of Pro Say, which covers recent cases and developments in the law, these podcasts tend to focus more on issues related to law practice management and career development. I’ve picked up some great tips and inspiration from them.
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For lawyers: First Mondays, a podcast re: the Supreme Court by two law professors. Mostly in-depth previews and reviews of the current term’s oral arguments and decisions. But also some interesting SCOTUS trivia and practice pointers, particularly for appellate lawyers. For Non-lawyers: We The People, a podcast re: constitutional law and related issues by Jeff Rosen of the National Constitution Center.
Thanks for the recommendations, Lauren!