⚖ 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. Cooper — 5th Cir. (Oct 5, 2026)

No. 25-30411 Argued October 5, 2026 Published October 6, 2026

The Fifth Circuit hears Deborah Cooper's appeal from convictions arising from two armed robberies at Igor's Bar in New Orleans. The robberies took place in February and March 2022. Police used surveillance footage to identify Cooper as one of the two suspected robbers. A federal jury later convicted her of robbery conspiracy, robbery and related firearm offenses. The robbery convictions are under the Hobbs Act, a federal law that prohibits robberies and conspiracies to rob that obstruct, delay or affect commerce. That commercial connection is a required part of a Hobbs Act prosecution, not just an optional detail about where the robbery occurred. Interstate commerce includes trade across state lines. The related firearm charges concern using or carrying a gun during a crime of violence, with the robberies serving as the underlying crimes. Sara Johnson represents Cooper on appeal. Kevin Boitmann represents the United States.

USA v. Cooper (No. 25-30411) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued October 5, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — Fifth Circuit, No. 25-30411:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/OralArgRecordings/25/25-30411_10-05-2026.mp3
Argument date and counsel — official court recording index:https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/oral-argument-recordings/results?from=2026-08-01&to=2026-10-06
Case background and surveillance identification — February 4, 2025 signed district order:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-laed-2_23-cr-00131/pdf/USCOURTS-laed-2_23-cr-00131-4.pdf
Jury verdict and prosecution account — official February 18, 2025 release:https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/federal-trial-jury-convicts-new-orleans-woman-two-2022-robberies-igors-lounge
Federal robbery law — 18 U.S.C. § 1951, the Hobbs Act:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title18/html/USCODE-2024-title18-partI-chap95-sec1951.htm

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