Oklahoma made history by approving the nation’s first openly religious public charter school, sparking a constitutional clash that ended in a Supreme Court deadlock and left the broader questions about the constitutional validity of religious charter schools up in the air. The central issue: are charter schools truly public schools that need to remain secular under the Establishment Clause, or are they privately run entities entitled to equal protection under the Free Exercise Clause?

In this episode of Legal Judg(e)ments, host Bob Stetson sits down with Christopher Schandevel, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and one of the attorneys representing the charter school. They break down the high-stakes legal battle of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, discussing how the case tested the boundaries of church-state law, the role of religious freedom in publicly funded education, and the questions it leaves open for future courts to address.

Does the constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment include a stable climate system? In this episode of Legal Judg(e)ments, "Climate Change on Trial", host Bob Stetson is joined by Roger Sullivan of McGarvey Law as they analyze the landmark case of Held v. Montana, where Roger represented the plaintiffs. This legal battle involved a group of young Montanans challenging the state’s Montana Energy Policy Act (MEPA), which prohibited state agencies from considering greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts when reviewing energy and infrastructure projects.

Bob and Roger explore the trial proceedings, including key expert testimony connecting rising carbon levels to local environmental harms. They also provide insights into what this decision could mean for the future of similar constitutional and public interest environmental cases across the country, including questions of standing, the scope of environmental rights, and how state policies may be evaluated in light of climate impacts.

Legal Judg(e)ments returns with a new season examining how the law influences policy, politics, and everyday life. Hosted by Bob Stetson, a Boston-based trial lawyer with nearly 20 years of experience, this legal podcast features in-depth conversations with litigators about cases and strategies that shape the law. Season Five tackles timely issues including immigration enforcement, climate change litigation, offshore wind regulation, laws affecting homelessness, and more.

Tune in as Legal Judg(e)ments delivers practical insight into how the law works in practice—and why it matters now.

Listen to the season trailer now and join us for the first episode on Thursday, January 15, 2026.