Season 6, Episode 13 (Show 274): Last Branch Stands, the Barbara Court Sits – Special Guest Sarah Isgur

April 15, 2026

We continue our analysis of the oral argument in Trump v. Barbara.  And the author of a new book on the Supreme Court, Sarah Isgur, joins us with an inside look at the Court, and at this important book.

CLE Credit Available for this episode from podcast.njsba.com.

This week it’s Attorney Cecilia Wang’s turn, as she appears before the Supreme Court to defend birthright citizenship in the Trump v. Barbara case, and we continue to analyze clips of the oral argument.  Meanwhile, we are joined by the host of the popular Advisory Opinions podcast: Sarah Isgur, who has written a new book that will be published, well, today.  Last Branch Standing takes us inside the Supreme Court from the life of a clerk to a tour of the Court’s history to a statistical analysis of voting patterns on the Court – which are far more complex than is commonly thought.  You can’t help but know more after this episode than you did coming in!

(LAWYERS AND JUDGES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION CREDIT by visiting podcast.njsba.com after listening.)

Show Notes:

How to get Continuing Legal Education Credit for listening!

Virtually all lawyers and judges admitted to practice anywhere in the USA can obtain CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit after listening to this episode by visiting podcast.njsba.com.  You do not have to be a New Jersey lawyer or resident or admitted to the NJ Bar; essentially every state has reciprocity arrangements with New Jersey.  When you visit the site you fill out a form and provide the code Andy read during the episode, pay a small fee, and within two weeks you will receive the certificate from New Jersey.  It couldn’t be easier.  Thanks to the New Jersey Bar Association for making this possible!  Note, too, that other podcast episodes from our “back catalog” now qualify for this credit as well.

Click to go to the website for CLE credit

Trump v. Barbara, Oral Argument

The transcript of the oral argument as provided by the Supreme Court website.

Read and/or Download

Birthright citizenship: oral argument highlights - SCOTUSblog - Akhil and Vik Amar

Well, we’ve been making arguments in SCOTUSblog for a couple of months now on the birthright citizenship issue.  Was anyone listening?  We look at the Justices’ own words during the oral argument.  Maybe they listened, maybe they didn’t, but the essence of many of the arguments found their way into our posts and their mouths, it seems.

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Amazon.com page for Last Branch Standing, by Sarah Isgur

Here’s where you can purchase Sarah Isgur’s new book, Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today’s Supreme Court.

Click to visit the book's page