Sidebar: Constitutional woodchipper — the SCOTUS preview

It’s October, so you know what that means … spooky season is finally here! And with it, the Supreme Court is back in session, complete with ghosts of the gun variety.

In this year’s SCOTUS preview, we bring you the cases you need to know. The court will weigh in on a Biden administration rule to redefine firearms to address the public safety risk of ghost guns in America. We delve into the complexities and legal arguments that ignited a heated debate with gun manufacturers and the NRA over what truly constitutes a firearm.

The court will also hear about the death penalty case of Richard Glossip, who has faced the specter of execution nine times for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. From the dubious testimony of the actual murderer to the systemic failures that have kept Glossip on death row, the case has led even unlikely proponents to question the mechanics of our justice system.

And we tackle Tennessee’s controversial SB1 law, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors. This controversial legislation pits the state’s focus on the experimental nature of such treatments against the medical community’s endorsement of their necessity. This legal battle doesn’t just impact Tennessee; it could reshape the landscape for transgender rights nationwide.

Special guests:

• Don Knight, Richard Glossip’s attorney
• Robert Dunham, director at the Death Penalty Policy Project and special counsel at Phillips Black
• Oklahoma state Representative Justin Humphrey
• Sasha Buchert, director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal
• Eric Tirschwell, executive director of Everytown Law
• Cody Wilson, director of Defense Distributed
• Kevin Tobia, a professor of law and philosophy at Georgetown
• Erin Erhardt, litigation counsel at the National Rifle Association

Sidebar tackles the top stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Hillel Aron, Kirk McDaniel, Amanda Pampuro and Kelsey Reichmann as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down developments to help you understand how they affect your day-to-day life.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. A transcript is available.

Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.

For more Supreme Court in the news:

• Supreme Court’s 2024 term puts a finger on the scale for the next president
• Supreme Court keeps federal horse racing law on books, for now
• Supreme Court keeps lock on Biden’s student loan repayment plan