Not So Grand Jury

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick discuss two episodes of the first season of the X-Files (1993-1994), which is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+.  Both episodes involve the same mutant serial killer, Eugene Victor Tooms.  We discuss the legitimacy of polygraph tests, the "parole board" scene, FBI jurisdiction, and more.  We (well, mostly Geoff) also come up with a system to rate the movies/shows on legal accuracy and entertainment.

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

In two weeks, we will be discussing season 1 of Daredevil (2015).  The first two episodes of season 4 of Daredevil drop on March 4, 2025, so you might as well re-watch season 1!

Thank you as always to our editor Colleen Moore.

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Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick talk about In The Heat of the Night (1967), currently streaming on Prime Video.  Among other things, we discuss issues related to the Fourth Amendment and police officers outside of their jurisdiction, and nerd-out on the Supreme Court.

Geoff brings up the Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio, decided in the same year In The Heat of the Night was released.  More information on this case can be found here:  Terry v. Ohio on Oyez.

We also bring up our episode on Columbo.  Astute listeners will note that we have not released an episode involving the tv show Columbo and Matt and Geoff didn't discuss it in the last iteration of the podcast with Mike and Geoff.  And you are correct!  Columbo was an unreleased beta episode, where the three of us were still trying to get our feet wet.  We plan to release Columbo soon as a side bar because there is some interesting conversations on, among other things, Miranda rights, jurisdiction of the FBI, and Fourth Amendment.

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Our first "new" episode of 2025!  Geoff, Mike, and Derrick talk about Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), now streaming on Netflix.  This is the first episode where we discuss a movie that's based on an actual real-life trial, which leads to some interesting comparisons.  Among other things, we talk about free speech/ability to protest and the actual trial, including the Attorney General's testimony, contempt and judicial bias, and the actions of the prosecution.

In the episode we talk about multiple court opinions, including those of the U.S. Court of the Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the District Court.  Here are links to each so you can read about what happened for yourself:

7th Circuit's Decision Reversing the Contempt of Court Charges:  In re Dellinger, 461 F.2d 389 (7th Cir. 1972)

7th Circuit's Decision Reversing the Substantive Charges:  In re Dellinger, 472 F.2d 340 (7th Cir. 1972)

U.S. District Court's Decision After Remand on Contempt of Court Charges:  In re Dellinger, 357 F.Supp. 949 (N.D. Ill. 1973)

Geoff also mentions an audio book that does a dramatic reading of highlights from the trial transcript:  "The Trial of the Chicago 7: The Official Transcript"

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

Thank you as always to our editor Colleen Moore.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

The (sort of) lost episode!  This week we go back over four years ago to Geoff and Mike's original version of the podcast and re-release an episode on Love, Guaranteed, where Derrick was the guest host.  Apologies for the long episode, but we had A LOT to talk about.

Prior to that, Geoff, Mike, and Derrick dive into some listener feedback.  Please connect with us if you have any feedback or suggestions for us!

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Second sidebar/bonus episode for the Not So Grand Jury!  In this sidebar, we are releasing an edited version of an episode of All Too Common Law, a podcast Geoff hosted years ago.  The episode was focused on How to Get Away with Murder, which we discussed on last week, so it seemed like the perfect time to re-release it out to the public.  Enjoy!

Next week we will take on some listener feedback and re-release the Love-Guaranteed episode that was part of the predecessor Not So Grand Jury podcast hosted by Mike and Geoff that had Derrick has a guest host.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick talk about the pilot episode of the former ABC television series How To Get Away with Murder (2014-2020), which apparently has lived rent free in Geoff's brain for years!  As you can tell, we loved . . . to talk about the many ridiculous things about this episode!  We talk about our actual experience in law school, Annalise Keating's legal practice, legal ethics, and so much more!

During the show, we reference a few other podcast episodes that are not currently available, and wanted to give you a little background.  Geoff mentions All Too Common Law, which was his former podcast from years ago.  We also reference "Love, Guaranteed," which is a straight-to-Netflix 2020 film that Geoff and Mike discussed on the previous iteration of the Not So Grand Jury podcast where Derrick was the guest.  Neither All Too Common Law nor the twelve episodes of Geoff and Mike's former NSGJ podcast are currently available online, but that may change soon.  Since the Love, Guaranteed episode was basically the reason the current podcast exists, it's highly likely we will release that shortly.  Stay tuned!

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

Thank you again to our editor Colleen.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick finish up Season 1 of the Netflix series Lincoln Lawyer (2022).  This episode focuses on 12-step programs, the confusing attempt to hide Eli Wyms, and a few other minor issues.

During the show, Derrick references an interview with the show's showrunner, Ted Humphrey, which is discussed here:  https://somanyshows.com/the-lincoln-lawyer-showrunner-ted-humphrey-finale-questions. 

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

As always, thank you to our editor Colleen.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our U.S. listeners!  In this episode, Geoff, Mike, Derrick, and special guest Andrea Fenster discuss The Shawshank Redemption (1994).  Andrea is the Prisoners' Right Dunn Legal Fellow with the ACLU of Virginia and no doubt she had a lot to discuss with us!  In this episode we talk about the (many) civil rights violations in the movie, corruption/abuse of power, and many other issues.

A few notes from the show:
- Geoff quotes from Supreme Court Justice Jackson's dissent from the denial of certiorari in the Johnson v. Prentice case.  Here is the link to her dissent:  144 S. Ct. 11 (Nov. 13, 2023).
- Mike references a prisoner who escaped from a Pennsylvania prisoner.  Here is the video showing the (relatively easy) escape:  Video - Inmate Escape

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

Thank you to our editor Colleen.  And thank you very much to Andrea for taking the time not only to join us for the episode recording, but for all the research and work she put in prior to joining us!

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

It is the first ever bonus episode for the Not So Grand Jury!  Dubbed sidebars (because we are nerdy lawyers), we plan to make use of occasional bonus episodes on the podcast off weeks to discuss, among other things, listener feedback, present some clips from upcoming or past episodes that were cut for time, and maybe publish some short conversations or interviews that don't require a full episode.

In this sidebar, Derrick thanks you for some of your reviews and highly encourages you all to reach out with questions, comments, complaints... anything!  We also give you some snippets from next week's episode where we discuss the Shawshank Redemption with guest Andrea Fenster, the Prisoners' Rights Dunn Legal Fellow with the ACLU of Virginia.  

Full Shawshank episode out next week!

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick dive back into Season 1 of the Netflix series Lincoln Lawyer (2022).  This episode focuses on Mickey's client, Trevor Elliott, who appears throughout Season 1 as a defendant in a double-murder trial.  Among other things, we discuss trial prep, voir dire (i.e, jury selection), the trial, and the verdict.  Note that this episode was recorded earlier this year, so any references to the various Trump trials are pre-election.

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

In two weeks, we will be discussing The Shawshank Redemption (1994) with a special guest!  Make sure you watch it before we release the episode, although just like Jaws, we assume you've seen this amazing movie already, right?  Plus, stay tuned for a fun mini-episode coming out next week.

Thank you to our host Geoff pinch-hitting as editor for this episode.  And Geoff really wants Colleen back, even more than the rest of us.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

Geoff, Mike, and Derrick discuss Jaws!  Yes, it isn't a legal movie.  But that doesn't mean we don't have a lot to discuss! Among other things, we talk about the duty of the government or police to intervene (or lack thereof), the rule of the Coast Guard in shark attacks, boating regulations, and the potential validity of an offer to the general public to do something in exchange for a reward.

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

In two weeks, we jump back into Season 1 of the Lincoln Lawyer and discuss various legal questions related to the Trevor Elliott trial.

Thank you as always to our editor Colleen Moore.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

In the first full episode of the new podcast, Geoff, Mike, and Derrick discuss the first episode of the first season of the Netflix series Lincoln Lawyer (2022).  We discuss substance abuse and mental health issues facing lawyers, how realistic it is for a lawyer to be handed someone else's practice, and attorney-client privilege as it relates to the investigation of a murdered lawyer.

The sponsor of the podcast is Moore Law PLLC, a law firm that focuses on business law and general commercial litigation.  If you would like to set up a free consultation, please fill out the form located at https://www.mooreatty.com/contact.

In two weeks, we will be discussing Jaws (1975), currently streaming on Netflix.  Make sure you watch it before we release the episode (although, seriously, is it really possible that you haven't already watched Jaws?).

Thank you as always to our editor Colleen Moore.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.

We're back!  Geoff, Mike, and new host Derrick are back for more Not So Grand Jury entertainment.  First episode comes out in a week, where we will discuss the Netflix show Lincoln Lawyer, Season 1, Episode 1: He Rides Again.

Comments? Questions? Corrections? Send us a message!

Please connect with us! IG: @notsograndjury. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn: Not So Grand Jury. Bluesky: @notsograndjury.bsky.social.