⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

Real court arguments, crisp audio, with context.

Court recordings can be difficult to follow, and many suffer from poor audio quality. This podcast enhances the audio, provides a brief introduction to each case, and explains legal concepts that may be unfamiliar to some listeners.

We hope these enhancements make oral argument recordings easier to understand, more accessible, and more enjoyable to listen to.

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Stallone v. Kopp — 2d Cir. (Sep 28, 2026)

No. 25-94 Argued September 28, 2026 Published September 30, 2026

The Second Circuit hears Jerome Stallone's challenge to a New York robbery and burglary conviction. In 2016, a jewelry store in Southampton was robbed. Witnesses identified Stallone, and a jury convicted him. At trial, a medical assistant said she had seen him ride a bicycle just over two weeks after hip-replacement surgery. Stallone disputed that account, but initially told the judge he did not want to testify. After both sides had finished presenting evidence, he asked to address it. He now says he wanted to take the stand; New York's appeals court found that he had asked only to put a statement into the record. A federal judge later denied his habeas petition. The judges here will examine that factual dispute, his claimed right to testify, and whether federal law permits them to overturn the state court's decision.

Stallone v. Kopp (No. 25-94) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, argued September 28, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/audio/25-94.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit:https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/oral_arguments.html
State direct-appeal opinion — New York Appellate Division:https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2022/2022_02439.htm
Federal habeas opinion — U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y.:https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/stallone-v-kopp-1061412295
State-court habeas review standard — 28 U.S.C. § 2254:https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/2254
Paul Skip Laisure biography — attorney website:https://paulskiplaisure.com/
Attorney admission — Second Circuit:https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/Docs/AttAdm/AdmL.pdf

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