Law Podcasts

Serial

Serial Productions & The New York Times

Serial is an award-winning investigative powerhouse that has redefined the narrative podcast landscape. Known for its immersive storytelling and commitment to deep-dive journalism, the show centers on complex cases that challenge our understanding of justice, truth, and the legal system. Whether untangling cold cases or examining systemic failures, Serial brings listeners directly into the heart of high-stakes investigations. In its most recent series, The Last 12 Weeks, the podcast follows a grueling, real-time countdown to the scheduled execution of David Wood, a man convicted in the Desert Killer cases. Through the eyes of journalist Maury Schriver and a dedicated defense team, the series captures the immense emotional and professional toll of capital defense. As the lawyers race against the clock to uncover new evidence and navigate the labyrinth of the judicial system, the show explores the tension between legal finality and the devastating possibility of a miscarriage of justice. Across all seasons, Serial excels at humanizing the people caught in the machinery of the law. By blending rigorous research with intimate access, the podcast highlights the fragility of memory, the weight of circumstantial evidence, and the profound, often conflicting, grief felt by everyone involved. It is an exploration of the moments where lives hang in the balance, offering a gripping, honest look at the messy reality of the American justice system.

Strict Scrutiny

Crooked Media

Strict Scrutiny is your essential guide to navigating the increasingly complex and often alarming landscape of the United States Supreme Court. Hosted by legal experts Leah Litman, Melissa Murray, and Kate Shaw, this podcast moves well beyond the surface-level headlines to dissect the real-world consequences of the Court’s most pivotal decisions. Whether they are unpacking the erosion of the Voting Rights Act, analyzing the aggressive expansion of executive power, or scrutinizing the judiciary’s inconsistent use of historical precedent, the hosts provide a sharp, intellectually rigorous, and unflinchingly critical look at a bench that is fundamentally reshaping American democracy. What sets Strict Scrutiny apart is the hosts’ ability to synthesize dense legal theories into accessible, high-stakes conversations. You will hear them tackle everything from the precarious status of birthright citizenship to the institutional failures and ideological shifts occurring behind the courtroom doors. The show blends substantive, technical legal analysis with a necessary sense of urgency, often featuring emergency episodes that capture the raw intensity of a breaking news cycle. By consistently calling out judicial inconsistency and the systemic threats to constitutional norms, the team behind Strict Scrutiny provides listeners with the context needed to understand a Court that is, in their view, aggressively pushing toward a different, more exclusionary vision of the American order. It is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to stay informed about the judiciary's impact on our daily lives.