⚖ 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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United States v. Bertram and Miller — 7th Cir. (Oct 27, 2026)

No. 25-2093 Argued October 27, 2026 Published October 28, 2026

The Seventh Circuit hears two appeals arising from an Indiana drug-trafficking case. Christopher Miller admitted bringing fentanyl pills from Arizona to Indiana and laundering drug proceeds. He pleaded guilty, then asked to withdraw his plea, saying he had felt rushed and pressured. The judge refused, relying on his sworn statements that he understood the charges and was pleading voluntarily. Miller will seek to undo that ruling. You'll hear references to a Frye hearing: in this case, a conference about whether he would plead guilty or go to trial. Jayden Bertram received twenty years and ten months in prison for his part in the drug conspiracy. His appeal raises a different question: did the judge adequately explain his sentence, including why it was longer than a co-defendant's?

United States v. Bertram and Miller (No. 25-2093) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, argued October 27, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — official Seventh Circuit original; initial case call and preparation omitted, all advocacy retained. The court original ends during the judge's final courtesy address after taking the case under advisement; that administrative gap is preserved:https://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/sound/external/sk.25-2093.25-2093_10_27_2026.mp3
Argument date and recording — official Seventh Circuit October 2026 archive:https://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/oralArguments/oar.jsp?amonth=10%2F2026&aMonth=List+case%28s%29
Miller's admissions, plea history and refusal to allow withdrawal — district court order, April 25, 2025, pages 1–6 and 9–15:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-insd-1_23-cr-00093/pdf/USCOURTS-insd-1_23-cr-00093-0.pdf
Drug-trafficking background and sentences — U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Indiana, August 20, 2025:https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/11-individuals-drug-trafficking-ring-sentenced-federal-prison
Consolidated appeals and counsel — public appellate clerk docket mirror:https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca7/25-2093
Sentencing factors and unwarranted disparities — 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(6):https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-121/t18/s3553/

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