In this new podcast, Professor Amar offers weekly in-depth discussions on the most urgent and fascinating constitutional issues of our day. He is joined by host Andy Lipka and frequent guests: other top experts, including Bob Woodward, Neal Katyal, Nina Totenberg, Lawrence Lessig, Michael Gerhardt, and many more.

Season 6, Episode 7 (Show 268): Attorney Amar’s Opening Argument

March 4, 2026

Trump v. Barbara – the birthright citizenship case – is coming up, with oral arguments scheduled for April 1.  You are now a Supreme Court clerk, and we are here to help you prepare yourself and your Justice.

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

In this shorter-than-usual episode, you are now a Supreme Court clerk getting ready for the Trump v. Barbara case.  What do you do?  What do you read? We guide you. And as we think about what will happen when the argument begins, we give you a taste in this unusual episode.

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

Show Notes:

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Season 6, Episode 6 (Show 267): Tariffs Are A Major Question – Special Guest Vikram Amar

February 27, 2026

The Court strikes down Trump’s Tariffs, and Professor Amar – Vik Amar – helps us explain the important doctrine behind it, and why it is an important Constitutional case.

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

The Court has ruled Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional.  Vik Amar, who offered important theories that appeared prominently in the opinion, joins us to explain the Major Questions Doctrine, why it applies to this case, and even more importantly, why it attempts to support significant structural features of the Constitution.  We pay particular attention to the concurring opinion by Justice Gorsuch, which offers the most in-depth theoretical explanation for this Doctrine and attempts to lay a foundation for its future use.  Meanwhile, the significance of the opinion as a rebuke to Trump, and as a reassertion of the Court’s credibility,  is also discussed.

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

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Season 6, Episode 5 (Show 266): Pillorying the Post

February 18, 2026

The Washington Post is being destroyed by its owner, Jeff Bezos. Ruth Marcus, the Post “lifer,” joins us for analysis.

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

Jeff Bezos emasculated the Washington Post; now he has virtually killed it.  Why?  And what does this mean for the nation?  What is the importance of major newspapers to the American constitutional system?  We bring you the great Ruth Marcus, former deputy editorial page editor, long-time columnist, with over 40 years at the Post, to offer an in-depth, insider perspective on this shocking set of events.  

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

Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 4 (Show 265): Converse 1983 Is A Thing

February 11, 2026

Learn all about why everyone is talking about: Converse-1983 legislation, with the experts. 

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

It’s becoming apparent that the theory that Professor Amar put forth 40 years ago in a now-famous law review article, “Of Sovereignty And Federalism,” is being taken seriously by more and more legislatures, newspapers, and the general public. Therefore, we bring the two leading experts on this – Professor Akhil Amar, and his brother Professor Vik Amar – together to go over the background, theory, and intricacies of this important development. It’s a master class that takes you back to an earlier master class we had, on the venerable and crucial case of McCulloch v. Maryland. What does this have to do with converse 1983? You’ll find out.

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

Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 3 (Show 264): A Virtuous Republic, If You Can Keep It

February 4, 2026

We’re all over the place – unitary executive, birthright citizenship, court term limits, and more.

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In a wide-ranging episode, we finish looking back – and in doing so, we look into the near future as well.  The birthright citizenship case will be heard in oral argument on April 1, and we go back to our reaction to the executive order.  Unitary executive matters are awaiting court rulings; we look back at our back and forth with Steven Calabresi.  Meanwhile, audience questions on court term limits and the virtues of virtue are addressed, and there are more tidbits to enjoy.

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Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 2 (Show 263): Five-Oh and Four Questions

January 28, 2026

We analyze and add to the oral argument in Wolford v. Lopez, the Hawaii gun case, and continue our retrospective.

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The look back over our five years of drama, humor, reason, and illogic continues, as perhaps the most notorious opinion of the five year period – the Trump immunity case – reappears in a clip, along with a revisit with Justice Breyer.  Meanwhile, the oral argument in Wolford v. Lopez did, in fact, prompt the Professors Amar to write in SCOTUSblog.com, and we go even further here, with clips from that oral argument and answers to the justices that didn’t find their way into the record, but now, hopefully, enter the public discourse.

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

Show Notes: