Opening Arguments

Informações:

Sinopsis

Every episode, legal expert Andrew and comic relief Thomas will tackle a popular legal topic and give you all the tools you need to understand the issue and win every argument you have on Facebook, with your Uncle Frank, or wherever someone is wrong on the Internet. It's law. It's politics. It's fun. We don't tell you what to think, we just set up the Opening Arguments.

Episodios

  • OA38: FLSA and Exempt Employees, Part 2

    27/01/2017 Duración: 01h05min

    Today's episode is part two of our two-part series on pending changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA").  As we've previously mentioned, in 2016, the Obama Department of Labor promulgated new rules requiring that employees who are "exempt" from the FLSA's overtime requirements must earn at least $47,476 per year.  A district court judge issued an injunction blocking those rules from going into effect; that decision is currently pending on expedited review before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.  In this episode, Andrew continues his explanation as to why he thinks those rules are going to eventually go into effect and what that means for employers and employees. We begin, however, with a thoughtful question from friend of the show Noah Lugeons regarding how the FLSA's tipping rules interact with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Is it illegal for employers to rely on tips knowing how inequally tips are handed out to men and minorities?  Listen and find out! After our main segment on the FLSA

  • OA37: FLSA and Exempt Employees, Part 1

    24/01/2017 Duración: 59min

    Today's episode is part one of a two-part series on pending changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA").  As we've previously mentioned, in 2016, the Obama Department of Labor promulgated new rules requiring that employees who are "exempt" from the FLSA's overtime requirements must earn at least $47,476 per year.  A district court judge issued an injunction blocking those rules from going into effect; that decision is currently pending on expedited review before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.  In this episode, Andrew explains why he thinks those rules are going to eventually go into effect and what that means for employers and employees. We begin, however, with a listener correction regarding the FLSA and tipped employees.  As it turns out, Andrew mis-spoke on a prior episode and employers must ensure that an employee's total compensation (including tips) meets the federal minimum wage. After our main segment on the FLSA, the much-beloved "Are You A Cop?" segment returns with a myth about President Tr

  • OA36: The Emoluments Clause (w/Seth Barrett Tillman) Part 2

    20/01/2017 Duración: 01h16min

    Today's episode is part two of our two-part series on whether the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution applies to incoming President Donald Trump. We begin, however, with a listener question from Erik Alsman who asks whether the Supreme Court has the power to declare an amendment to the Constitution unconstitutional.  Along the way we'll learn a little bit about the history of judicial review in the United States. In our main segment, we conclude our interview with Lecturer Seth Barrett Tillman of the Maynooth University Department of Law, exploring Tillman's thesis that the Emoluments Clause does not apply to President Trump because the Presidency is not an "office... under the United States" for purposes of Constitutional analysis.  Afterwards, Thomas and Andrew break down the argument and offer their views on the issue. Next, we air some listener comments and questions regarding the difference between a "barrister" and a "solicitor" in UK law. Finally, we end with a brand new Thomas Takes the Bar Exam que

  • OA35: The Emoluments Clause (w/Seth Barrett Tillman) Part 1

    17/01/2017 Duración: 01h03min

    Today's episode is part one of a two-part series on whether the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution applies to incoming President Donald Trump. We begin, however, by addressing another Trump-related question:  Does a recent report claiming that 50+ Trump electors are ineligible provide the relief of preventing Trump from assuming the Presidency?  We delve into the report and answer the question in a way that may surprise you. Our main interview segment is with Lecturer Seth Barrett Tillman of the Maynooth University Department of Law.  Tillman's thesis is that the Emoluments Clause does not apply to President Trump because the Presidency is not an "office... under the United States" for purposes of Constitutional analysis. Next, we answer a listener question from William Stemmler about officeholders in the line of Presidential Succession who are themselves ineligible to become President.  Could Donald Trump nominate George W. Bush to be Secretary of State?  Find out! Finally, we end with the answer to Thoma

  • OA34: The "Fallout" Over Copyright

    13/01/2017 Duración: 01h06min

    Today's episode is a mini-masterclass on Copyright.  We begin by answering a question from listener Sue Barnum who asks if a simple list can be copyrighted. After that, we move to the main discussion over the Copyright Act and the "fair use" defense, using as an illustration the recent story where CNN appropriated the graphic from the hit videogame Fallout 4 to illustrate a story about Russian hacking.  Did this violate copyright law?  Or was CNN's activity "fair use" of the game screen? Next, we answer a fun listener question from Damian Kumor about the portrayal of law in media.  What's Andrew's favorite obscure legal TV show?  Listen and find out! Finally, we end with Thomas Takes the Bar Exam question #6 about prenuptial agreements.  Remember that TTTBE issues a new question every Friday, followed by the answer on next Tuesday's show.  Don't forget to play along by following our Twitter feed (@Openargs) and quoting the tweet that announces this episode along with your guess and reason(s)! Show Notes &

  • OA33: Interview With The Slants

    10/01/2017 Duración: 01h09min

    Today's episode begins with Breakin' Down the Law in which we discuss the recently-enacted "Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act," and whether the Act constitutes a significant legal protection for atheists. During our main segment, we are excited to have on Simon Tam, founder of the band "The Slants," for an extended interview that follows up on our discussion of Lee v. Tam from Episode 30.  Simon tells us about the history of the band, answers some tough legal questions, and also describes how he combines his music with social justice activism. After the interview, we turn to a listener comment from friend of the show Dr. Dave Hawkes, who helps answer a plausibility question we had from Law'd Awful Movies. Finally, we end with the answer to Thomas Takes the Bar Exam question #5 about the garnishment of wages.  For every episode going forward, TTTBE will give you a new question on Friday, followed by the answer on Tuesday.  And remember that you can play along by following our Twitter feed (@Ope

  • OA32: Phil Ivey's Gambling Winnings (with guest Chris Kristofco)

    06/01/2017 Duración: 01h02min

    Today's episode begins with a question from Adrien Thuren about the minimum wage.  How come restaurants can seemingly pay wait staff less than minimum wage?  And if that's legal, why don't other industries don't start paying their employees less than minimum wage too?  Andrew tells us why or why not. For our main segment, we bring back guest Chris Kristofco from OA6.  In addition to being an ex-lawyer and current-day blogger about the Green Bay Packers, Chris is also a casino employee and former dealer.  He joins us to help break down the recent verdict in federal court in New Jersey requiring Phil Ivey to pay back $10.1 million to the Atlantic City Borgata casino. Next, "Breakin' Down the Law" returns with a segment that explains the difference between a "lawyer" and an "attorney."  Be honest -- you didn't know the answer, either, did you?? Finally, we end with Thomas Takes the Bar Exam, where Thomas tackles question #5 about garnishment of wages.  For every episode going forward, TTTBE will give you a new q

  • OA31: More on the McDonald's "Hot Coffee" Lawsuit

    03/01/2017 Duración: 01h04s

    Welcome to the first Opening Arguments of 2017, and the first episode on our new two-episode-per-week schedule.  Just a reminder:  we will be releasing these episodes on Tuesdays and Fridays every week.  More on scheduling below. Today's episode begins with a far-fetched (but interesting!) hypothetical about what would happen if Donald Trump refused to take the Presidential Oath of Office.  We dig into the Constitution, the 20th Amendment, and the 25th Amendment and go down some fun rabbit trails. For our main segment, we return to the McDonald's "Hot Coffee" lawsuit we discussed in OA 29, and tackle some common questions about negligence raised by listeners. Next, "Breakin' Down the Law" returns with a segment that explains the difference between "legalizing" and "decriminalizing" ... stuff.  Yeah, "stuff." Finally, we end with Thomas Takes the Bar Exam, where we find out how our intrepid co-host did in answering real-life bar exam prep question #4 about trespass.  Going forward, TTTBE will always be an answ

  • OA30: Little Baby Jesus in a Manger

    28/12/2016 Duración: 01h02min

    Well, it's finally here:  the last Opening Arguments of 2016.  We're looking forward to 2017 (and our amazing two-episode-per-week schedule). We begin with some announcements about Law'd Awful Movies, and then turn to Thomas Takes the Bar Exam, where we find out how our intrepid co-host did in answering real-life bar exam prep questions. Then, we answer a listener question from Jim Sabatowski about the foreseeability of one's negligence by taking a trip back to law school and talking about the crazy, fireworks-on-a-train-exploding-scale madness that is Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R., 248 N.Y. 339, 162 N.E. 99 (1928). In our main segment, we tackle the confusion world of religious-themed holiday displays.  When is it okay to put a little baby Jesus on the courthouse steps?  We'll tell you insofar as the Supreme Court has told us, which... isn't always perfectly clear. In our "C" segment, we tackle yet another listener question; this one from Skeptic Sarah regarding the controversy over trademark registration for

  • Law'd Awful Movies #1: The Firm

    25/12/2016 Duración: 02h35min

    SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT! This is normally for Patrons only, but we wanted to gift our non-patronizing listeners a gift and a sample of what they might be missing over at patreon.com/law!! Behold the majesty of what you are about to receive.  This is, hands down,  the worst legal movie ever made.  From the opening credits to the cheesy ending voice-over, literally everything this movie has to say about the law is completely and utterly wrong. Yes, for our first Patreon movie reward, we suffered through all 2 hours and 34 minutes of The Firm (1993), which chronicles the amazing journey of Mitch McDeere (Tom Cruise), an I'm-no-idealist Harvard Law grad who refuses to break some imaginary law he thinks exists regarding attorney-client privilege, but has no problems with extortion, illegal wiretapping, fraud, and kicking a 92-year-old man to death. Come for the crazy legal subplot that can be solved in two seconds!  Stay for the crazy second legal subplot that gets introduced for the first time right after most mov

  • OA29: Cognitive Dissonance

    21/12/2016 Duración: 01h05min

    It's a two-episode week!  In this week's Wednesday episode, we are joined by Tom & Cecil of the Cognitive Dissonance podcast for a discussion about freedom of speech and whether online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter ought to be considered "public spaces." We begin with some announcements about the schedule, including Thomas Takes the Bar Exam, which will remain a weekly feature once we move to our twice-per-week format in January.  So no new question today, but you will have a few extra days to answer TTTBE #3. Then we take a look at the new Texas law requiring funereal services for aborted embryos and miscarriages, and Thomas takes a shot at analyzing the issue.  Is all his hard work studying for the Bar Exam paying off?  Listen and find out! Finally, the show concludes with a discussion of the 1994 McDonalds "Hot Coffee" lawsuit, Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants, as an example of legal myths gone awry.  What exactly happened in that case, and what does it say about whether we should have caps o

  • OA28: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 2

    19/12/2016 Duración: 01h08min

    In this week’s episode, we conclude our discussion of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), and how the “undue burden” test the Supreme Court developed in that case continues to govern laws protecting (and restricting) abortion today. However, we begin with the moment you’ve all been waiting for:  the answer to Thomas Takes … Continue reading OA28: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 2 → The post OA28: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 2 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA27: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 1

    14/12/2016 Duración: 01h09min

    In this week’s episode, we return to the subject of abortion and pick up with a cliffhanger from way back in episode #11, where Thomas was asked how he would have handled what became the Supreme Court case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).  We talk about that landmark decision, how it changed the … Continue reading OA27: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 1 → The post OA27: Abortion and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Part 1 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2

    07/12/2016 Duración: 01h43min

    This week’s super-sized episode is literally jam-packed with five all-new segments for our listeners; six if you haven’t heard both parts of the Second Amendment Masterclass already.  And make sure you stay tuned all the way to the end for our exciting new segment! First, you get an all-new introduction with new quotes, many of which were … Continue reading OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2 → The post OA26: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 2 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA25: Could Jill Stein Decide the Presidency? (No.)

    30/11/2016 Duración: 01h05min

    In this week’s episode, we discuss the recent efforts by Jill Stein and the Green Party to raise funds for Presidential recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.  Should you rush out and open your wallets to help raise funds for the Green Party? “Breakin’ Down the Law” returns with a discussion on court structure.  If … Continue reading OA25: Could Jill Stein Decide the Presidency? (No.) → The post OA25: Could Jill Stein Decide the Presidency? (No.) appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA24: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 2

    23/11/2016 Duración: 01h04min

    In part two of this two-part episode, we continue to address every unique listener question posted to the Opening Arguments Facebook page relating to the impending Trump presidency. So if you’re wondering whether Trump will be impeached, if Obama can recess appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, about the future of the ACA, or … Continue reading OA24: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 2 → The post OA24: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 2 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA23: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 1

    16/11/2016 Duración: 01h06min

    In part one of this two-part episode, we tackle every unique listener question posted to the Opening Arguments Facebook page relating to the impending Trump presidency. So if you’re wondering whether Trump will be impeached, if Obama can recess appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, about the future of the ACA, or what Trump’s … Continue reading OA23: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 1 → The post OA23: Trump Presidency Legal Q and A, Part 1 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA22: Libertarianism is Bad and You Should Feel Bad

    09/11/2016 Duración: 01h06min

    PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs In this week’s episode, we tackle the legal and philosophical issues underlying libertarianism.  We take on such issues as :  what is “property,” why is it a right, and is it cognizable as a side-constraint against government action?   At the end of the day, … Continue reading OA22: Libertarianism is Bad and You Should Feel Bad → The post OA22: Libertarianism is Bad and You Should Feel Bad appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA21: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 1

    03/11/2016 Duración: 01h04min

    PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs By listener request, we are bringing you this special “deep dive” episode into the history and jurisprudence underlying the Second Amendment.  This episode was originally broadcast on Atheistically Speaking earlier in 2016. Just in time for the election, we tackle a thorny political issue: … Continue reading OA21: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 1 → The post OA21: Second Amendment Masterclass, Part 1 appeared first on Opening Arguments.

  • OA20: What Happened With Ammon Bundy? SPECIAL EDITION

    01/11/2016 Duración: 01h10min

    PLEASE PLEASE fill out a very brief survey for us!!! https://survey.libsyn.com/openargs In this special episode, we look at breaking news:  the jury verdict in United States v. Ammon Bundy et al., a federal case brought in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon as a result of the armed takeover of the Malheur National … Continue reading OA20: What Happened With Ammon Bundy? SPECIAL EDITION → The post OA20: What Happened With Ammon Bundy? SPECIAL EDITION appeared first on Opening Arguments.

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