This is exactly right.

The courtroom isn't just about justice. It's about power and money and some truly bizarre loopholes.

I'm Michael Foote. And I'm Melissa Malbranche, and we've got a brand new show called Brief Recess, Illegal Podcast.

Every week, we talk about wild tales from court, trials gone wrong, and cases and rulings that shape our world.

Today we're going to be talking about stolen antiquities, all the weird things Melissa found at in a state sale, the crazy conversations I had with the bouncer and J.K. Rowling. We make the complicated clear and the serious, surprisingly fun. From the exactly right network, new episodes of Brief Recess drop every Thursday. Watch Brief Recess on YouTube. Listen to Brief Recess on the IHeartRadio app.

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. When I invited you here, I thought I made myself perfectly clear

When you're a guest in my home

You gotta come to me empty-handed

I said no gifts

Your presence is present enough.

And I already had too much stuff.

So how do you dare disobey me?

Welcome to I said no gifts.

I'm Bridger Weinerer.

Happy holidays. It's the holiday episode. It's the big holiday episode.

Ah, what's going on? Well, I think we should probably just address what's happening up top. If you're listening, you aren't aware of what I'm currently wearing. This was a network call. This was what I'm currently wearing. The network kind of said, if you don't wear it, the podcast will be canceled, the masters will be destroyed.

But if you're listening, what I would describe what I'm wearing, people are obviously watching this on

YouTube, they already know, the cat's out of the bag, I'm in kind of a tiny Tim costume.

I'm wearing kind of a mid-thigh skirt.

Well, it's more of a dress made out of what I assume is a flammable velvet.

It's a white fringe and a little bit of itchy tool underneath.

Of course, got these gorgeous gloves on.

...