⚖ 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.

Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube /feed.xml Open RSS

Isaiah Wilkins v. Pete Hegseth — 4th Cir. (Sep 14, 2026)

No. 24-2079 Argued September 14, 2026 Published September 30, 2026

The full Fourth Circuit hears again a challenge to the military's rule barring people with HIV from joining. Isaiah Wilkins lost his place at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School after an HIV diagnosis. Two other applicants were also denied entry. All three have HIV that is asymptomatic and suppressed by treatment. A federal judge initially blocked the rule for people in that position. A three-judge appeals panel later reversed, but its ruling was vacated when the full court agreed to rehear the case. The military says its entry standards protect worldwide deployability and deserve judicial deference. The applicants say the HIV rule ignores modern treatment. The judges also question whether the trial court applied the right standards to the constitutional and agency-law claims.

Isaiah Wilkins v. Pete Hegseth (No. 24-2079) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, argued September 14, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/OAarchive/mp3/24-2079-20260914.mp3
En banc argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/en-banc-cases
Order granting rehearing en banc — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/242079R1.U.pdf
District court ruling — U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia:https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/virginia/vaedce/1%3A2022cv01272/530787/159/0.pdf
Plaintiffs' appellate brief — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit:https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/wilkins-v-hegseth-appellee-brief.pdf
Vacated panel opinion, for procedural and case history only — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/242079.P.pdf
Order partially staying the injunction pending appeal — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit:https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/242079R2.P.pdf

0:00
0:00