⚖ 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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USA v. Lee — 5th Cir. (Oct 6, 2026)

No. 25-11097 Argued October 6, 2026 Published October 9, 2026

The Fifth Circuit hears Derrick Lee's criminal appeal. After a jury convicted him, Lee asked the sentencing judge for a sentence below the federal guidelines' recommended range. The judge declined and made remarks about Lee's choice to go to trial. Lee argues that those remarks show he was penalized for exercising his right to a jury trial. He also challenges evidence admitted at trial under the Confrontation Clause, which protects a criminal defendant's right to question witnesses against him.

USA v. Lee (No. 25-11097) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued October 6, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/OralArgRecordings/25/25-11097_10-06-2026.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings/results?from=2026-08-01&to=2026-10-06
Prior sentencing background — independently authored NACDL amicus brief, March 6, 2026:https://www.nacdl.org/getattachment/802a3387-2ecc-4d20-b4dc-19f179dbd27a/united-states-v-derrick-lee-brief.pdf
Confrontation Clause — Constitution Annotated, Sixth Amendment:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CONAN-2022/pdf/GPO-CONAN-2022-20.pdf

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