BBC The Probate Game Nov. 16

What happens in England when someone dies without a will and no relatives can be located? Private companies like kin and titleresearch step in and then ask to be paid by the people they find.

five days left to listen, 30 min. no transcript

Life Sentences For Juveniles

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in two cases involving juveniles sentenced in Florida to life in prison without parole - one for rape, the other for armed robbery. NPR's All Things Considered, Nov. 9,  has a report by Nina Totenberg quoting the questions of the justices during oral argument - a good example of legal reasoning in cases of constitutional interpretation (here of the 8th Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment). 6 min. NPR Media Player and .mp3, with something similar to a transcript. 

Shakespeare and the Law

The University of Chicago Law School held a conference - "Shakespeare and the Law" - on May 15, 2009. The audio recording of the keynote discussion featuring Justice Stephen Breyer, Richard Posner, Martha Nussbaum, and Richard Strier is now available to download.

74 min., no transcript

A video with scenes from Hamlet, As You Like It and Measure for Measure, presented at the conference is also available. 38 min. no transcript

BBC The Cases That Changed Our World

The Cases That Changed Our World — a four part series with Clive Coleman.

The first episode, about the 1670 trial of two Quakers which established that judges cannot intimidate juries, is available only until Nov. 11. It will be replaced by the second episode, about the Carbolic Smoke Ball case. The subjects for the last two episodes have not been announced yet.

15 min. BBC iPlayer, no transcript

BBC Profile

The BBC programme Profile has some interviews with actors on the legal scene - Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission (interviewed by Edward Stourton), Sonia Sotomayor, first Hispanic and third woman to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice (interviewed by Claire Bolderson) and Keir Starmer, U.K. Director of Public Prosecutions (interviewed by Clive Coleman). BBC iPlayer ± 15 min., no transcript. You can also subscript to the Profile podcast or download the latest programme in .mp3 (available for one week only). Since the programme is now off the air, the last programme, with Jose Manuel Barroso, will be available here to download in .mp3 until the series begins again in January.

Three Strikes Law in California

NPR All Things Considered — A law in California, called the "three strikes" law, requires very severe sentences (25 years to life) for offenders convicted of a third offense, even stealing a pair of socks, after two "serious or violent" crimes. The NPR 3 part series examines the history, disparity of application, and effect of this law.

part 1 Oct. 28, 7:50 min. ; part 2 Oct. 29, 5:55 min. ; part 3 Oct. 30, 7:23 min. NPR mediaPlayer or .mp3, transcripts available.

Innocence Project Subpoenas

NPR Talk of the Nation Oct. 26, 2009

Students working in an Innocence Project in Chicago (investigating cases where prisoners may have been falsely convicted) have received broad subpoenas to produce documents including their notes, emails and grades, raising questions of privileges normally given to lawyers and reporters. Jonathan Turley, professor of public interest law at George Washington University and Barry Scheck, pioneer of the Innocence Project in New York give their views.

30 min., NPR mediaPlayer, .mp3, transcript (mistakes)