A show about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America.
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Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Everybody Out of the Pool
President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was banning CNN, Politico, and MSNow from the White House because he didn't like their coverage. Within days, a federal
Sep 26 46 min
One Ballot After Another
You’ve seen the headlines about the lists, the claims, the THREE times this same executive order about voting by mail has gone to the Supreme Court. But is Trump’s interf
Sep 19 1 h 06 min
Capitulation Nation
Capitulation under Trump 2.0 has been devastating to the rule of law. To review a couple of lowlights: One of the nation’s leading lawyers, Brad Karp, cut a deal with Don
Sep 12 54 min
SCOTUS Rewrites the Rules for One Special Boy
It’s past time to say it. This Supreme Court is helping President Donald J. Trump evade accountability. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the Berkeley School of Law, joins Dahli
Sep 5 1 h 09 min
Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 3. A Lunch Room for Life
With Amicus on a brief summer break, we’re bringing you the final installment of Slow Burn’s latest season, Becoming Justice Gorsuch. Host Susan Matthews enlists Slate’s
Aug 29 56 min
Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 2. The Stolen Seat
With Amicus on a brief summer break, we’re bringing you the second installment of Slow Burn’s latest season, Becoming Justice Gorsuch.
When Justice Antonin Scalia died i
Aug 22 47 min
Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 1. Man With a Plan
Our friends over at the Slate podcast Slow Burn are good at taking events that we think are settled history, then unlocking a new understanding of those stories through i
Aug 15 39 min
By the People | Now It’s Your Turn
In the final episode—for now—of our series on reclaiming constitutional power for every American, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern urge you to consider the many ways
Aug 8 54 min
By The People | Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Long before the Supreme Court handed down the landmark Obergefell ruling on equal marriage in 2015, activists were canvassing door-to-door, courting any lawmaker who woul
Aug 1 45 min
By the People | For the Children
In 1867, an 8-year-old girl named Elizabeth Turner became the epicenter of a legal battle that would help define what freedom really meant after the Civil War. Days after
Jul 25 40 min
By the People | Who Owns the Constitution?
For the better part of two centuries of U.S. history, the American people understood that they—and not the Supreme Court—were the final arbiters of the Constitution. But
Jul 18 41 min
The Term the Court Stopped Pretending
The Supreme Court just wrapped one of its most consequential terms in decades—and Amicus brought together three heavyweight legal experts to break down the damage. Their
Jul 11 1 h 00 min
Bad History Will Kill America
The Supreme Court just wrapped the term with a blitz of extremely consequential decisions, and the smoke hasn’t cleared yet. (In fact, it’s looming like a dark storm clou
Jul 4 57 min
A Constitutional Travesty Narrowly Avoided
It was a weird and wild ride as the Supreme Court handed down the last decisions of the term that started all the way back in October of 2025. We were so much younger the
Jun 30 14 min
Preview: Trump Can Fire (Almost) Anyone Now
The end is nigh! Or, the end of this Supreme Court term is nigh, at least.
On the second to last day of this term, the court’s right wingers delivered a sweeping rulin
Jun 29 8 min
The Roberts Court Shows Its True Colors
Donald Trump ran for office threatening to use mass deportations, closed borders, and emergency wartime powers to “clean up” American immigration. On Thursday, the Suprem
Jun 27 1 h 08 min
Preview: All Gas, No Brakes for this 6-3 Court
In this exclusive Opinionpalooza extra, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern take stock of today’s truly horrendous decisions handed down by a right-wing Supreme Court s
Jun 25 11 min
Guns, Weed, and the Forgotten Framers
The Supreme Court handed down a unanimous ruling this week in United States v. Hemani, holding that a marijuana user cannot be stripped of his Second Amendment right to o
Jun 20 1 h 02 min
A Huge Shift is Underway at SCOTUS
The Second Reconstruction is being dismantled piece by piece, and this past month has seen that project attain terminal velocity. On this week’s Amicus podcast, Dahlia Li
Jun 13 48 min
Concrete Plans to Restore Law, after Trump
One of the challenges of modern legal journalism is recalling that case law, doctrine, and Supreme Court decisions aren’t a complete picture, without including the lived
Jun 6 1 h 03 min
Chart trend
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Chart positions
Where Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 28, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I have subscribed and followed just about every SCOTUS podcast there has been since the pandemic. Most were a flash in the pan. Most of the rest are so loaded with snark and attitude that it clouds the quality of the legal analysis. Amicus stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Dalia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stearns have carefully laid exactly how the justices on this Supreme Court have stopped practicing law.
1) There has to be an actual controversy? No. 2) The plaintiff must have proper standing? No. 3) The plain meaning of the text of the law should be interpreted as the actual intent of the legislature when the law was enacted? No. 4) The actual facts of the case are pertinent to the case? No. 5) The plain meaning of the text of the Constitution and amendments should be understood as the meaning and intent of these passages? No. 6) Actual historical precedent at the time of the writing of the Constitution and subsequent laws are pertinent to an “Originalist” interpretation? Not if it contradicts the desired outcome.
The only piece that is missing here is the trail of dark money from the Koch Brothers and fossil fuel interests to the Federalist Society that Senator Whitehouse has exposed; the litmus test of “absolutist anti-abortion” to identify True Believers who think the End Justifies the Means—such that all crimes and sins are forgiven in pursuit of advancing “Conservatism” and contracting “Progressivism”.
NewsJunkyMidwest · Jun 2026
I listened to Amicus for one or two years before subscribing. I subscribed not to skip the ads, but to support a quality of legal analysis that I, as an attorney since 1979, recognize as spot on. Given the quality of the main show, I didn’t believe that the bonus episodes would be worth paying for. I was wrong. I admire, respect, and enjoy Mark Joseph Stern’s bonus commentary. There is no podcast that I have followed longer than Amicus.
Ndc3 · Mar 2026
I listen to all Amicus podcasts and have done so for a number of years. I am usually in agreement with the perspectives offered by Dahlia and Mark but I also usually learn something about the law with each episode that I didn’t know before.
That said, I think the episode “Legal Blinkers, Moral Hazards” is, perhaps, the most important episode you have done. However, I suggest a slight modification to the title: How about “Legal Blinders, Moral Hazards”?
Recently a friend accused me of “thinking like a lawyer”. I was insulted. I aspire to “think like a scientist” - to being committed to seeking the truth not just winning the argument.
The idea of doing what is right, what is moral, not just what a clever lawyer can manipulate words to establish is profound, especially in the time of Trump and probably for all times.
Legal Blinders · Feb 2026
I have been listening to the Amicus podcast for a decade or so, and it has provided me with incredible knowledge and understanding of the American political system, expanding far beyond SCOTUS alone. Listening is very challenging at times, binging podcasts will leave you wanting to lie down in a dark room. But Dahlia (and Mark!) make you feel like you aren’t alone! They provide succinct and clear translation and interpretation of what feels like incomprehensible legal jargon indecipherable legal strategy. The provide incredible insight into the American political climate. I have been a Slate Plus subscriber for years, primarily to access to the bonus content on this show. Thank you, Dahlia and Mark, for giving me this education, and providing a virtual community of support to combat despair!
MirandaJenny · Jan 2026
This was my “Ride or Die” podcast for so long - back when the Supreme Court was (mostly) independent. Now it’s mostly painful to listen to; literally and figuratively (Norm Eisen, Biden apologist?!?). Will not delete because some of the most interesting cases have been dissected on this show.
Alpine Aries · Apr 2026
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About Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts on Reason.fm
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
