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Proof Over Precedent

Proof Over Precedent

Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School 58 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

The Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School discusses the work of bringing credible evidence to lawyers, judges, and decision makers, to transform the U.S. justice system into an evidence-based field. We bring you weekly one-on-one interviews with experts in the area of access to justice -- researchers, lawyers, professors, law students, data analysts, research participants, and anyone who has an interesting role in this growing area.

Episodes

Episode 66: Heirs' Property's Fragile Hold on Land Ownership and Justice
Episode 66: Heirs' Property's Fragile Hold on Land Ownership and Justice Aug 17, 2026 00:29:45 Just because an individual may own property, does not guarantee that the person may keep that property—that’s the warning stemming from this week's podcast episode featuring an interview with Dr. Kara Woods, research analyst at Alcorn State University’s National Policy Research Center. Issues may arise from heirs property—co-owned land in which the name
Episode 65: Access vs. Efficiency—Supreme Court Weighs Frivolous Filings
Episode 65: Access vs. Efficiency—Supreme Court Weighs Frivolous Filings Aug 10, 2026 00:21:10 "Martinizing", the controversial Supreme Court practice of denying court fee waivers for indigent litigants, is meant to reduce frivolous filings, but at what cost? This episode looks at the January 2026 Howell order in which Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenting voice against Martinizing indigent prisoners. Her argument reignites the pe
Episode 64: Can AI Resolve Brazil's Judicial Backlog?
Episode 64: Can AI Resolve Brazil's Judicial Backlog? Aug 6, 2026 00:21:43 More than 100 million pending cases await Brazil courts, so it may not be surprising that the country's Supreme Court Justice has a reportedly rosy view of AI in the court system, especially in time-sensitive civil and criminal matters. The potential for AI to help alleviate the backlog and potentially bring more balance and less bias may brush over the
Episode 63: Texas Two-Step Bankruptcy--Corporate Restructuring or Legal Loophole?
Episode 63: Texas Two-Step Bankruptcy--Corporate Restructuring or Legal Loophole? Aug 4, 2026 00:28:11 The Texas Two-Step is a fairly simple dance, but in the world of corporate bankruptcy, it's the name of a sophisticated maneuver that some profitable companies employ to stop mass tort liabilities and limit the settlements due to victims. It splits a company and strategically divides its assets and liabilities. In this manner, the companies win and the
Episode 62: Navigating Immigration Law Post-Trump v. CASA
Episode 62: Navigating Immigration Law Post-Trump v. CASA Jul 27, 2026 00:30:31 Trump v. CASA did not directly address immigration and birthright citizenship when it ruled against universal injunctions, and yet...The aftermath of the ruling left the immigration law landscape in a tailspin. This week's Proof Over Precedent episode interviews Katie Taylor, Legal Director of the Neighbors Immigration Clinic (Lexington, KY), where the
Episode 61: The Promise and Pitfalls of Active Judging
Episode 61: The Promise and Pitfalls of Active Judging Jul 20, 2026 00:20:46 Pro se litigants have reason to hope for a better civil courtroom experience with active judging. If done right, this reform promises more clarity and mercy for those unfamiliar with legal procedures, and better fact-finding and balanced evidence for judges overseeing the cases. This week's Proof Over Precedent episode discusses the potential for reform
Episode 60: Beyond Gideon—Rethinking Access to Justice
Episode 60: Beyond Gideon—Rethinking Access to Justice Jul 13, 2026 00:56:08 Is it time for an inquisitorial legal system? How about a redesigned "lawyer-less" court? This isn't the wild west of the legal world, but rather a lively discussion among three access to justice advocates on the merits–or rather shortcomings–of a push for a civil right to counsel and possible alternatives to closing the access to justice gap. Join Law
Episode 59: Legal Aid on the Front Line of Immigration
Episode 59: Legal Aid on the Front Line of Immigration Jul 6, 2026 00:34:31 When it comes to immigration, the legal aid sector has pivoted its resources from affirmative relief for immigrants to defense deportation and detention center intakes. In this "Student Voices" podcast, the discussion between fellow Harvard Law School J.D. candidates Andrew Garcia and Emily Irigoyen, the latter of whom co-leads the Harvard Immigration P
Episode 58: Labor Innovations Bridge Access-to-Justice Gap for Immigrants
Episode 58: Labor Innovations Bridge Access-to-Justice Gap for Immigrants Jun 29, 2026 00:24:33 Labor movements have had to get creative when it comes to labor justice for immigrant workers. That's where worker centers fill the niche not covered by traditional labor unions. In this Proof Over Precedent episode, HLS Professor Sharon Block, executive director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy, discusses the difference between the two labor
Episode 57: Libraries and AI—Partners for Accessible Justice?
Episode 57: Libraries and AI—Partners for Accessible Justice? Jun 22, 2026 00:24:23 In this "Student Voices" episode, HLS student Grace Gao interviews Ari Scourtas, Product and Research Manager of the Library Innovation Lab at Harvard Law School, about making AI legal tools accessible for people facing digital barriers. The discussion covers legal AI's risks and opportunities for self representation and the expanding role libraries pla
Episode 56: The Conflicting Sides of Police Procedural Protections
Episode 56: The Conflicting Sides of Police Procedural Protections Jun 18, 2026 00:21:15 This bonus episode of Proof Over Precedent looks at the access to justice issues around the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBR) statutes and contract provisions that grant police officers enhanced procedural protections during internal misconduct investigations. At odds are the tensions between public accountability and officers’ claims of ne
Episode 55: Navigating Workplace Justice Through an AI Lens
Episode 55: Navigating Workplace Justice Through an AI Lens Jun 16, 2026 00:32:42 Workplace justice issues take center stage in this Proof Over Precedent "student voices" episode focused on Reclamo AI, an AI chatbot, developed to help workers--especially immigrant communities -- address wage theft and find local advocates. Joshua Medina, legal director for Pro Bono Net's JusticiaLab, shares insight on the transformation of the tool,

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