Serious Trouble
Serious Trouble

Serious Trouble

Josh Barro and Ken White

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Episodes

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An irreverent podcast about the law from Josh Barro and Ken White. www.serioustrouble.show

Recent Episodes

What Part of 'No Bill' Don't You Understand?
DEC 16, 2025
What Part of 'No Bill' Don't You Understand?
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.serioustrouble.show?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.serioustrouble.show</a><br/><br/><p>A grand jury has refused to indict Letitia James — no, this isn’t a repeat of last week’s email; it just happened again since we last recorded. This time, it’s a different grand jury, and we discuss further impediments to the resurrection of the cases against her and James Comey. That, plus a discussion of the unlikely-to-matter pardon of former Colorado election official Tina Peters, is for free subscribers this week. Paid subscribers also get:</p><p>* A look at a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/f5eb5b12-865f-4799-ad82-c24d2b69792b.pdf">lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> which aims to stop the construction of Trump’s new White House ballroom.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.450934/gov.uscourts.cand.450934.225.0_3.pdf">Another trial court win for Gavin Newsom</a> as he tries to end Trump’s activation of the California National Guard (though the outlook in the appeals courts is more dubious).</p><p>* Costco’s lawsuit seeking return of its tariff payments under IEEPA, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxrothschild.com/publications/importers-are-racing-to-preserve-tariff-refund-rights">why Costco would sue now</a>, long after a few plaintiffs stood up to bring a test case but before the Supreme Court rules on it.</p><p>* And <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.589189/gov.uscourts.mdd.589189.110.0_2.pdf">the order</a> that has, for now, freed Kilmar Abrego Garcia to return to Maryland.</p><p>Upgrade your subscription at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.serioustrouble.show">serioustrouble.show</a>.</p>
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22 MIN
Cases Dismissed
DEC 5, 2025
Cases Dismissed
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.serioustrouble.show?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.serioustrouble.show</a><br/><br/><p>The criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James were both dismissed, without prejudice, <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136.213.0_1.pdf">on the grounds</a> that former insurance attorney Lindsey Halligan was never properly appointed as an interim US Attorney. Trump’s Justice Department has options, and we talk through them. That conversation is for free listeners. For paid subscribers this week, we also address:</p><p>* A rare favorable <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.285023/gov.uscourts.dcd.285023.38.0.pdf">ruling</a> for the Trump administration from Judge James Boasberg.</p><p>* Eric Swalwell’s <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.287155/gov.uscourts.dcd.287155.1.0.pdf">lawsuit against Bill Pulte</a></p><p>* Peter Skandalakis’s tortured-but-ultimately-convincing, argument that the Georgia RICO case is terminal and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/26/politics/georgia-prosecutor-drops-trump-election-interference-case">should be taken off life support</a>.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.legalaffairsandtrials.com/p/jury-in-defamation-trial-awards-megan">Megan Thee Stallion’s “big”</a> ($59,000) win in her defamation lawsuit against a live-streamer</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2025/12/01/burkman-and-wohl-sentenced-for-intimidating-voters-in-robocall-case">Probation</a> for Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, and</p><p>* A <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/joshgerstein/status/1995960820564721710">sharply-worded minute order</a> from Judge Amy Berman Jackson trying to ensure that she won’t be the only long-suffering person around these parts.</p><p>Upgrade your subscription today at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.serioustrouble.show">serioustrouble.show</a>.</p>
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23 MIN
Here Come the Epstein Files
NOV 21, 2025
Here Come the Epstein Files
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.serioustrouble.show?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.serioustrouble.show</a><br/><br/><p>Now that Congress has voted overwhelmingly to require the release of the Epstein files, we discuss what’s likely to be in those files, what the administration might do to undermine the intent of the law requiring release, and whether we really <em>ought</em> to learn so much about this case. That conversation is for free subscribers. </p><p>Paying subscribers get much more this week — a look at the rapidly increasing number of problems with the James Comey indictment, an update on the National Guard cases, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-national-guard.html">an interesting question from the Supreme Court</a> about the meaning of a law restricting the president’s ability to deploy it over a governor’s objection. We look at <a target="_blank" href="https://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/gov.uscourts.txwd_.1150387.1439.0.pdf">a really, really intemperate dissent</a> in the Texas redistricting case, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-administration-seeks-custody-of-convicted-election-denier-tina-peters/">an update on Tina Peters</a>, and we look at two defamation cases, <a target="_blank" href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26285424/ca11-cnn.pdf">one where Trump has again lost to CNN</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.legalaffairsandtrials.com/p/trial-begins-monday-in-megan-thee">one brought by rapper Megan Thee Stallion against a Twitch streamer</a> who, in the eyes of the state of Florida, does not count as a media outlet.</p><p>Upgrade your subscription now at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.serioustrouble.show">serioustrouble.show</a></p>
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18 MIN
Sandwiches For All
NOV 14, 2025
Sandwiches For All
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.serioustrouble.show?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.serioustrouble.show</a><br/><br/><p>Sandwich Guy is free! Sean Dunn was acquitted of simple assault by a jury of his peers. Meanwhile, Lindsey Halligan <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/us/politics/judge-trump-prosecutor-comey.html">continues to face difficulties</a> in her case against James Comey, and the Justice Department <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/10/justice-department-hiring-stalled/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9">generally is having trouble finding a sufficient number of qualified attorneys</a>. That’s all in this week’s free show.</p><p>There’s much more this week for paying subscribers, including:</p><p>* A look at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stevevladeck.com/p/190-snap-wtf">why Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson chose to delay a ruling</a> that would have forced the Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits.</p><p>* U.S. Senators <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-will-vote-undo-provision-letting-senators-sue-jan-6-related-sear-rcna243585">voted themselves a legal right</a> to sue if the government obtains their phone records, and the House grudgingly went along. The provision might get repealed after an outcry. But if it doesn't, does that violate the 27th Amendment? And even if it does, is there any recourse?</p><p>* The adventures of Bill Pulte.</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/11/10/trump-pardons-giuliani-and-others-allegedly-involved-in-bid-to-overturn-2020-elections/?utm_campaign=forbes&#38;utm_medium=social&#38;utm_source=bluesky">Federal pardons</a> for participants in fake elector conspiracies (who really mostly need to worry about state charges anyway).</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/victory-federal-district-court-dismisses-class-action-suit-against-pollster-j-ann-selzer">Another victory for Ann Selzer</a>.</p><p>Visit serioustrouble.show to upgrade your subscription to get the whole episode. </p>
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18 MIN