A Wonderful Catastrophe

Episode 28 · August 8th, 2014 · 1 hr 31 mins

About this Episode

Now we turn to Joe’s favorite case(s). And monkey selfies. First, some great listener feedback, and Joe’s argument that feedback should be at the end of the show. Then we dive into Erie, the first of two cases decided on April 25, 1938 that together are his favorite case(s). A man injured by an errant door on a passing train brings the case that fundamentally transforms the federal judiciary. Justice Brandeis transcends transcendental nonsense to recognize that courts make common law rather than discover it and thereby gives up power in a move Joe likens to George Washington declining to seek a third term. We close with a discussion of why no one “owns” the now-famous and delightful monkey selfie.

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