In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a woman's right to have an abortion. Jane Roe, a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey, challenged a Texas law that criminalized abortion except to save the mother's life. The Court's 7-2 decision established a trimester framework that would shape American law for nearly fifty years. This episode traces the legal arguments, the justices' reasoning, and the lasting impact of one of the most consequential rulings in Supreme Court history.

Trial Tapes breaks down real court opinions into dramatic, accessible stories. New episodes every week.

Search "Trial Tapes" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

In 1966, the Supreme Court decided that the Constitution requires police to inform suspects of their rights before questioning them. Ernesto Miranda had confessed to kidnapping and rape after two hours of interrogation, without ever being told he could remain silent or have a lawyer present. This episode traces the case from a Phoenix police station to the highest court in the land, and the legal battle that gave us the Miranda warning.

Trial Tapes breaks down real court opinions into dramatic, accessible stories. New episodes every week.

Search "Trial Tapes" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

On May 21, 2026, a new case landed on a federal docket in Pennsylvania. No trial date, no oral arguments, just a cause number and a name: Hernandez Corrato v. Trump. At the center is a single naturalization application and the question of what happens when the machinery of citizenship grinds to a halt. Trial Tapes walks through what the filing reveals and what it leaves unanswered.