Minimum Competence

Mar 07 2025 531 ep. 8 mins 2

Minimum Competence Podcast artwork

The idea is that this podcast can accompany you on your commute home and will render you minimally competent on the major legal news stories of the day. The transcript is available in the form of a newsletter at www.minimumcomp.com.

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Legal News for Fri 3/7 - Trump Issues More Petulant EOs, Loses in NLRB Firing, Gets Sued Over Federal Job Cuts, and Plans to Cut Diplomatic Missions

Mar 07 2025 17 mins

This Day in Legal History: Bloody SundayOn March 7, 1965, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement unfolded in Selma, Alabama. A group of 525 peaceful demonstrators, led by activists like John Lewis and Hosea Williams, began a march to Montgomery to demand voting rights for Black Americans. As they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were met by Alabama state troopers and l

Legal News for Thurs 3/6 - SCOTUS Blocks Trump's Foreign Aid Freeze, Hospitals Suing Blue Cross, TX Fights Against Nuclear Waste Storage

Mar 06 2025 5 mins

This Day in Legal History: Dred Scott DecidedOn March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its infamous ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford, a decision that deepened national tensions over slavery. The Court held that Dred Scott, an enslaved man who had lived in free territories, was not a U.S. citizen and therefore had no legal standing to sue for his freedom. In a sweeping opinion

Legal News for Weds 3/5 - Trump Lies in Primetime, Cantor Fitzgerald Owes Taxes, Rising Threats Against Judges and Senate to Scrutinize EPA Nominees ... Maybe

Mar 05 2025 6 mins

This Day in Legal History: Nuclear Non-Proliferation TreatyOn March 5, 1970, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) officially took effect, marking a major milestone in global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The treaty, first opened for signatures in 1968, was ratified by 43 nations and established a framework based on three core principles: non-proliferation,

Legal News for Tues 3/4 - Lawsuit Challenges Trump's Discriminatory Attacks on Haitians and Venezuelans, SEC Drops Case Against Kraken, Mobile Worker Tax Hellscape

Mar 04 2025 7 mins

This Day in Legal History: Abraham Lincoln Inaugurated On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States, taking office at a time of immense national turmoil. Seven Southern states had already seceded from the Union, and the country teetered on the brink of civil war. In his inaugural address, Lincoln struck a careful balance between firmn

Legal News for Mon 3/3 - Judge Blocks Trumps' Anti-Trans Restrictions, Ruling Against Trump and His Watchdog Firing and an ACLU Lawsuit Over Migrant Transfers to Cuba

Mar 03 2025 5 mins

This Day in Legal History: Belva Lockwood Admitted to SCOTUSOn March 3, 1879, Belva Lockwood shattered a major legal barrier by becoming the first woman admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. A pioneering attorney and women's rights advocate, Lockwood had faced repeated obstacles in her legal career simply because of her gender. After being denied admission to

Legal News for Fri 2/28 - KPMG Law Firm, CFPB Drops Cases Against Financial Firms, Judge Orders DGE Testimony and Ruling Blocks Federal Job Cuts

Feb 28 2025 12 mins

This Day in Legal History: Reichstag Fire DecreeOn February 28, 1933, German President Paul von Hindenburg issued the Reichstag Fire Decree, formally known as the Presidential Decree for the Protection of People and State. The decree was a direct response to the Reichstag fire the night before, which the Nazi Party blamed on Communists. It suspended key civil liberties, including f

Legal News for Thurs 2/26 - Lawsuits Over Musk's Role in DGE, SCOTUS Case on Reverse Discrimination, Legal Risks of Designating Cartels Terrorists and Trump Targets DSTs

Feb 27 2025 7 mins

This Day in Legal History: 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution On February 27, 1951, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, formally limiting the president to two terms in office. This amendment was a direct response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency, which spanned the Great Depression and World War II. Before Roosevelt, no preside

Legal News for Weds 2/26 - Trump Targets Covington & Burling, SCOTUS New Trial for Glossip, Judge Blocks Trump's Funding Freeze and WA Data Broker Severance Tax

Feb 26 2025 6 mins

This Day in Legal History: Woodrow Wilson Signs Grand Canyon National Park ActOn February 26, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act, officially designating the Grand Canyon as a national park. This landmark decision aimed to preserve the canyon’s breathtaking landscapes, unique geological formations, and rich biodiversity for future generations.

Legal News for Tues 2/25 - Judge Blocks Musk's DGE, Trump to Appoint Sycophant Patel to ATF and ARPA Funding Community Broadband

Feb 25 2025 5 mins

This Day in Legal History: Lincoln Signs Legal Tender ActOn February 25, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Legal Tender Act into law, allowing the U.S. government to issue paper money not backed by gold or silver. These new notes, called "greenbacks" due to their color, became the first widely circulated fiat currency in American history. The Civil War had placed enormous

Legal News for Mon 2/24 - AP Fights to Regain WH Access, SEC Closes Robinhood Investigation, and Judiciary Warns Employees not to Reply to Elon

Feb 24 2025 4 mins

This Day in Legal History: Marbury vs. Madison DecidedOn February 24, 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, issued its landmark decision in Marbury v. Madison, establishing the principle of judicial review. The case arose when William Marbury, appointed as a justice of the peace by outgoing President John Adams, sued Secretary of State James Madison for