And I just think that justices maybe, like, got used to working those muscles and litigants

saw how successful the Trump Justice Department was in getting the court to intercede in a lot of cases and said, well, we should try it.

If the court moves in the direction that I imagine that we expect it to, which is to strike down the New York gun control law, it will dramatically reshape the landscape of Second Amendment rights.

The court doesn't have the authority to enforce its own decisions. The court gets its authority through people accepting the court as a legitimate institution and believing the court is engaged

in law rather than politics. And if people no longer believe that, they lose their power.

Hi, and welcome back to Amicus. This is Slate's podcast about the law and the courts and the rule of law.

I'm Dahlia Lithwick.

I cover the courts and more at Slate Magazine.

And this episode of Amicus was recorded in partnership with the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival,

a virtual experience from September 20th through the 25th

that offered big thinking interviews and nuanced discussion on all the topics you care about

most. You can learn more at tribfest.org. And we're going to be talking to some of my just

most favorite court watchers for a fast-paced panel that will set you up to understand the Supreme Court term that is about to begin and the hugely consequential summer we have just had.

Now, later on in the show, Slate Plus members will hear our bonus segment with Mark Joseph Stern, where we unpack some of the issues we couldn't quite reach in the main show.

And sometimes we let rip just a little on some of the things we did talk about in the main show, but showed better judgment than to say.

This week, the extras are going to be the continuing presence at the Federalist Society of the man who literally tried to make the coup sound constitutional to Mike Pence, the three justices who are on a charm offensive and why.

And we're going to take a look at some of the amicus briefs that have been filed in the

big Mississippi abortion case, Dobbs. If you would like to access that conversation with Mark,

but you're not a Slate Plus member, go to slate.com slash amicusplus to find out how to join us.

It's only a dollar for your first month.

And Slate Plus memberships help support all of the journalism that we do here at the magazine.

So not only are you getting exclusive bonus content and ad-free shows, you're also getting our eternal undying gratitude.

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