Lex Rex Institute Podcast

In this episode, we take you through Jeremy Bentham's view on the role of policing and what policing used to look like - in that mythical, pre-Benthamic society. Oh, and we'll also talk about his mummified head. It relates. We promise.The delay was BAD in this one. We apologize for repeatedly interrupting each other.VCA Lawsuit in Orange County: https://www.lexrex.org/post/voter-choice-act-lawsuitIntellectuals by Paul Johnson: https://a.co/d/bXOHeQY

In this episode, we take you through Jeremy Bentham's reply to the Declaration of Independence. We'll explain why Bentham neither approves of, nor understands, the concept of "rights," why he simultaneously hates kings but thinks you have to do whatever they say, and why his reading comprehension skills are a bit suspect.If you missed it, please check out our last Independence Day episode (episode 11 of season 1) discussing the Declaration: https://rss.com/podcasts/lexrexpod/542617/

In this episode, we talk all about Jeremy Bentham: Who is he? A weird guy obsessed with round buildings, and also one of the most influential social theorists of the modern era (for the worse, in our opinion). Why should you care about him? Because he fundamentally changed the way people understand politics and law, in a really stupid way. What kinds of things did he do? Write lots of unwanted letters and have his body stuffed so no one would miss him when he died. This is the first part of our three part series on Bentham, so be sure to check back next time for his take on the Declaration of Independence!

In this episode, we bring you up to speed on a couple of important happenings at the Supreme Court, including a retrospective on the COVID-era of emergency powers and the Court's divided response to a key commerce clause case. After that, we give you a glimpse at the always thrilling, never confusing world of legal jurisdiction.Finally, we return once again to Captain Kangaroo Court, where David tests Alexander's knowledge of some of the most, uh, "creative" legal strategies around.0:03:00 - Arizona v. Mayorkas0:14:10 - National Pork Producers Council v. Ross0:39:20 - varieties of jurisdiction in American law1:04:00 - Captain Kangaroo Court

In this episode, we bring you up to speed on the latest activities of the Lex Rex Institute before diving into Groff v. DeJoy, a Title VII religious discrimination case that produced some... interesting... questions from certain Supreme Court justices. We'll explain why religious obligations aren't just a nice bonus you get for being a good person and, for the umpteenth time, explain how stare decisis works and wonder why Justice Elena Kagan seems to struggle with the concept.After that, we'll take a minute to address David's biggest pet peeve in legal interpretation: acting like the Constitution is just another law. Finally, we return to Captain Kangaroo Court to discuss a bankruptcy judge who writes pulp fiction and hear from a Twitter user impersonating the mistress of King Louis XV about why you don't have rights at school.0:01:45 - Lex Rex updates0:12:50 - Groff v. DeJoy0:45:10 - statutory law vs. constitutional law1:01:35 - Captain Kangaroo CourtLinksLRI's primer on paper ballotsAmicus brief on voting in San Francisco county

In this episode, we take a look at the 1924 "Lenin Constitution" and the 1936 "Stalin Constitution" of the Soviet Union. We'll discuss why communists love committees, how saying a right is guaranteed isn't enough, and the fact that the Soviet system was openly configured to focus power into the hands of a tiny elite. All this, plus an update on some of our cases and the story of a man who sued his date for the cost of her ticket to a superhero movie. Latest on LRI cases - 0:01:15 1924 Lenin Constitution - 0:06:55 1936 Stalin Constitution - 0:49:20 Captain Kangaroo Court - 1:13:00

In this episode, we continue our series on the Russian Revolution and the birth of the Soviet Union, but first we review oral argument in the pair of Supreme Court cases revolving around the Biden administration's plan for student debt relief.Finally, it's a special awards show edition of Captain Kangaroo Court! Alexander will award one nominee the coveted title of Most Plausible Lawsuit and another the even more coveted title of Most Creative Lawsuit.Student loan debt relief cases before the Supreme Court (0:05:10)The February Revolution (0:31:30)Captain Kangaroo Court (1:07:35)Link to the amicus brief in the San Francisco voting rights case: https://www.lexrex.org/news/lex-rex-president-alexander-haberbush-files-amicus-brief-in-voting-rights-caseOur “Ask an Attorney” episode on the Biden debt forgiveness program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH7-GUtncAw&list=PL5BkZsnxImY163ZJLP5zOb4FFf9hRMERH&index=17Episode 29 of the podcast, in which we discuss the debt plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrDkdJ7PNFw&list=PL5BkZsnxImY21-5sLx-P7BXgNws0fQ01R&index=27&t=2s

In this episode, we kick off our new series on the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Soviet Union. We'll start by telling you why this story is important for understanding American law, how the Tsars got things wrong, and why a group called "The People's Will" isn't necessarily a good barometer for, well, the people's will. Why is the Russian Revolution important? (0:03:03) The last years of the Tsars (0:08:30)Captain Kangaroo Court (1:02:30)

Welcome to the Season 2 of the Lex Rex Institute Podcast! We're now a video podcast (at least until enough of you complain about having to look at our faces that we switch back to audio-only), and we've got a new upload schedule that we'll tell you all about.In this episode, we bring you the top six (because David wanted a top five and Alexander wanted a top... more than five) developments in the world of American law from 2022.We'd also like to thank everyone for your generosity in our end-of-year matching fundraiser drive, with supporters of LRI contributing more than $20,000! It's thanks to your support that we can continue our efforts to defend the rights of the American public and, more importantly, equip them to defend their rights themselves.0:05:30 - Crackdowns on COVID-19 "emergency measures"0:11:00 - Election law in the spotlight0:21:40 - Conflicts between state and federal policy0:33:50 - The end of Roe v. Wade0:43:45 - New limits on federal bureaucracies0:58:05 - The death of the Lemon test in 1st Amendment jurisprudence(?)1:05:30 - Honorable mentions1:07:15 - Captain Kangaroo CourtVictoria Catano's Give Send Go fundraising page: https://www.givesendgo.com/G9QPC?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=G9QPC&fbclid=IwAR0uG9sPk1ALk3iaO4YFJGK8K8gsf5DBSr3Hkg6c3uvIMvW8tZwL1sASOd8

In this episode, we are joined again by Alex Bostic to conclude our "Fall of Rome" series while it's technically still fall. This time around, we'll talk about the civil wars between Sulla and Gaius Marius and between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. We'll discuss how the use of extra-legal means to restore the rule of law just ends up undermining it anyway, and consider some ways that the American constitution learned from Roman history.After that, it's back to Captain Kangaroo Court, where we'll ask hard hitting questions like "Is being a mean person a good excuse?" and "What is the value of time spent waiting for instant macaroni to thicken?"Finally, we'll let you know our plans for what we're calling "season two" of the podcast, which will be starting up sometime around February.We wish you all a good end to 2022, and we'll see you in the new year!Fall of Rome: the civil wars that ended the Republic (1:55)Captain Kangaroo Court (38:10)Season two announcement (51:00)