Season 6, Episode 9 (Show 270): A Brief Ecosystem

March 18, 2026

We begin our analysis of Professor Amar’s amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara with a look at its structure and its argument.

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We’ve been mentioning the birthright citizenship case, Trump v. Barbara, and Professor Amar’s amicus brief in the case.  Now we begin to analyze it in depth.  We begin with the structure of the brief; why is it so different from most such briefs?  Why is it uniquely wide-ranging?  How can it cover many aspects of the case with a strict word limit – what is it about the way it is done that allows this when other briefs – well-executed briefs – cannot cover as much ground?  And then, what is the outline of the argument?  We also show where you can go from here; where you can find expansion and discussion beyond the brief.  Or you can come back here in subsequent weeks when we will expand on the outline of the argument presented here.  

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