The term “shadow docket” is a name given to the U.S. Supreme's Court emergency docket and reflects that decisions are made quickly with little explanation.

This isn’t a new concept. Historically, it was used for urgent matters like death penalty appeals, but its use has expanded significantly in recent years. The shadow docket now addresses a variety of urgent issues, many of which have been triggered by unprecedented actions taken by President Donald Trump.

The shadow docket allows the court to issue stays or injunctions, often altering the course of ongoing cases, but with little to no explanation, meaning lower courts are left with little guidance and struggle to interpret the decisions.

Critics argue that the shadow docket lacks transparency, as decisions made through the shadow docket can have lasting effects without the usual scrutiny of full court hearings. This raises questions about accountability and fairness in the legal system.

The Supreme Court has also been moving steadily to the right on a variety of issues and seems to a proponent of the “unitary executive theory” that gives the president broad authority over the executive branch in a way never before exercised.

Listen to our conversation with Mark Brown, professor of constitutional law at Capital Law School, who ends our conversation by predicting how the court will rule on four upcoming cases.

If you’re like us, you’ve had your fill of people saying stupid stuff publicly. Some of it is just so stupid it bears repeating, if only as a reminder for the rest of us that saying stupid stuff accomplishes nothing—except providing a platform for outrage. As if we need more of that.

Let’s begin with Cracker Barrell updating its logo. The C suite execs thought it would be a good idea to ditch the old guy who’s leaning on a barrel. You would have thought Cracker Barrell was promoting sorcery. People were in arms. No surprise that President Trump weighed in. It’s just a logo. Who cares?

How about Sydney Sweeney, lying on the floor in a somewhat provocative pose, zipping up her American Eagle jeans and telling us that it’s our genes that give us our physical characteristics and then telling us her jeans (genes?) are blue. A cute play on words? Absolutely not! This is a reference to eugenics for which much criticism and bitterness are warranted!

Bad Bunny will be doing the halftime show at the Super Bowl. You would have thought from some of the criticism that the NFL had invited Beelzebub himself to dance on stage. It’s just a 20 minute show. Everybody, relax! Apparently, the NFL wants to draw a younger crowd. Maybe next time the NFL will sign up a Lawrence Welk tribute band.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth doesn’t think our military has sufficient warrior “ethos.” How do you fix that? Simple, you change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—all at the cost of millions of dollars. That ought to do it! Why didn’t somebody think of this earlier?! By the way, who says our military doesn’t have a sufficient warrior ethos?

The population of Dearborn, Michigan, is 39 percent Arab, and so the police and mayor—the mayor is of Arab descent and supported President Trump—thought it a good idea to include a brief Arab script on the shoulder patches police wear. You know what that means? Sharia Law is overtaking Dearborn. Just ask right wing and extremely vocal influencer Laura Loomer.

Sometimes, it’s just better to be silent. None of this stuff matters, except to the conflict entrepreneurs who thrive on outrage.

How does a gang member make the transition from life on the streets to earning a doctorate in public policy? It’s not exactly an everyday event.

Terence Lester was born into a two-parent household, but his parents later separated. In search of safety and stability, his mother moved Terrence and his sister from place to place. Carrying the weight of that early trauma, Terence turned to gangs, became a juvenile delinquent, experienced homelessness, and at one point lived out of his car. He dropped out of high school.

But Terence’s story doesn't end there. He eventually returned to school, graduated from college, and defied the odds by earning five degrees, including a Ph.D in public policy.

In “From Dropout to Doctorate,” Terence unveils the realities of educational injustice and the profound impact of unjust policies and systems on Black communities. He shows how poverty disrupts the lives of Black families, leading to homelessness and perpetuating the school-to-prison narrative.

Drawing from his own personal narrative and scholarly research, Terence names the complex challenges faced by Black children in under resourced and socially dense environments. As a public scholar and nonprofit leader, he advocates for equitable access to advanced education and addresses the systemic barriers that limit opportunities for Black people.

Terence’s advocacy encourages us to envision a world rooted in justice and inclusivity. Offering remedies of community involvement and mentorship, Terence charts a hopeful pathway that cultivates potential and provides opportunities for Black youth to thrive.

In his podcast, Imagine Dignity, Terence focuses on homelessness and interviews people who live on the streets. His goal is to spread kindness, inspire empathy and help to create a world where no one is invisible.

Jack and Gonzo talk with Terence his personal experiences and his call on educators, nonprofit leaders, and community influencers to confront educational inequity and inspire systemic change. Listen to the conversation.