The election is upon us, and worries about possible anti-democratic actions, especially by those who make wild claims in an attempt to justify extraordinary intrusions into the voting process, have many on alert. From the beginning of our podcast we have looked for these “bullets” that must be dodged to keep the Republic, and once again we peer ahead to see what to watch out for, and to review the constitutional law and history so we are armed with the truth. Meanwhile, a grand jury has defied another federal prosecutor, and this prompts a proud Professor Amar to dive into our traditions on this great subject. Election season has begun. CLE credit is avaialble for lawyers and judges from podcast.njsba.com after listening.

At the James Otis Lecture at Faneuil Hall in Boston, Professor Amar sat on a panel with (retired) Justice Stephen Breyer, Sarah Isgur, and the moderator, Chris Duggan. Remarkably, the Justice and the Professor engaged in a debate on a case Justice Breyer sat on: the sometimes-notorious Citizens United v. FEC from 2010. Rarely does one have the opportunity to hear a Justice defend their opinion against arguments after the fact, but there is nothing unethical about it, and now you can enjoy and learn from it. Surely there is more to say and we hope to do so in the future, but here is a real treat as Amarica’s Constitution turns 300 episodes old (though the celebration will have to wait). Lawyers And Judges are eligible for CLE credit by visiting podcast.njsba.com after listening.

This episode features Judge Patrick Schiltz, a deeply respected and honored judge on the US District Court in Minneapolis, interviewed by Professor Michael Stokes Paulsen, long time friend of this podcast and distinguished scholar. Judge Schiltz has been in the belly of the beast that was the dramatic escalation in ICE activity in his area, with a geometric increase in cases, motions, and need for his and his staff’s services. Amidst all this, he has come under fire from the Trump Administration in recent days for speaking about the judiciary to news outlets, despite the affirmative obligation that judges have to engage in appropriate forms of this activity. Now listen and hear the voice of a distinguished and dedicated public servant and judge for yourself. Before and after the interview broadcast, Akhil weighs in on some of the legal issues and the background. And in the show notes on akhilamar.com/podcast you can hear Akhil’s own keynote at this same symposium on converse-1983 and related matters. CLE credit is available for lawyers and judges from podcast.njsba.com.