FedSoc Events

About FedSoc Events

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order. It is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. This podcast feed contains audio files of Federalist Society panel discussions, debates, addresses, and other events related to law and public policy. Additional audio and video can be found at https://fedsoc.org/commentary (https://fedsoc.org/commentary).

Publisher

The Federalist Society

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Nov 2008

Latest episode

3 Apr 2026

Latest episodes

4 of 928 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   3 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Plenary Panel 4: Justice Alito’s Impact on Religious Liberties & Speech

   This panel will analyze Justice Alito’s contributions to the Supreme Court’s religious liberty and free speech jurisprudence. Panelists will examine his role in shaping the Court’s approach to the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses, and the First Amendment more broadly, including cases involving religious accommodations, expressive freedom, and the interaction between government authority and individual conscience. Featuring: Prof. Stephanie Barclay, Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Director for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, Georgetown University Law Center Prof. Nicole Garnett, John P. Murphy Foundation Professor of Law and Associate Dean for External Engagement, University of Notre Dame Law School Matthew A. Schwartz, Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Moderator: Hon. Steven J. Menashi, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

2. 

   3 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Plenary Panel 3: Justice Alito’s Impact on Criminal Law & Procedure

   Justice Alito has played a significant role in shaping contemporary criminal law and procedure, particularly in cases involving the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments. This panel will explore his influence on doctrines governing search and seizure, sentencing, the rights of criminal defendants, and the administration of the criminal justice system. Panelists will analyze key opinions and dissents to assess Justice Alito’s emphasis on text, history, and practical consequences, as well as his views on the balance between individual rights, public safety, and institutional competence. Featuring: Hon. Sarah K. Campbell, Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee Hon. Benjamin Cassady, Commissioner, Sacramento County Hon. Amul Thapar, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit Moderator: Hon. Andrew Oldham, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

3. 

   3 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Plenary Panel 2: Justice Alito's Jurisprudence

   This panel will examine Justice Samuel Alito’s jurisprudence as a whole, with particular attention to the principles and methodologies that have guided his judicial analysis and decision-making. Panelists will discuss Justice Alito’s approach to constitutional interpretation, precedent, and judicial restraint, as well as his views on the proper role of courts within the constitutional structure. Featuring: Prof. J. Joel Alicea, Of Counsel to Cooper & Kirk and St. Robert Bellarmine Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law Prof. Sherif Girgis, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame Law School Prof. E. Garrett West, Associate Professor of Law, Yale Law School Hon. Michael H. Park, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Moderator: Hon. Stephanos Bibas, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit

Inside a recent episode

Plenary Panel 4: Justice Alito’s Impact on Religious Liberties & Speech

Published 3 Apr 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] As the chief says, if a bureaucrat is basically saying, if I give an exemption to you, then I'll have to give it an exemption to others. So no exemptions ever. That's like the anthem of bureaucrats everywhere. That can't be a compelling interest. And I think the court was right about that. So another thing that he has done, as I mentioned, is he has challenged, narrowed and limited Smith. In Fulton, he wrote his concurrence that challenged the originalist grounds of Smith and argued that, in fact, founding era evidence drawing on Michael McConnell and other scholars supports a regime that would give protection and religious exemptions to those whose religious exercise is burdened by government. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

88 ratings

Spotify

4.4 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

30

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

93