Social justice means applying the law equally to all people. But in practice, that doesn’t always happen. We’re business and trial lawyers with over 60 years experience of practice. Together, we practice law, we seek social justice, and we reveal the conflict between the two. And in this podcast, we bring together guests from a variety of backgrounds to discuss the current issues surrounding social justice and the inequity between these issues and their relation to the legal system. Join with us, so that it’s not Just Us.
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Sep 28, 2026 · 42:46
Jack and Gonzo are joined by retired Columbus trial lawyer Rick Topper, who now spends a significant amount of time testifying about and working to protect voting rights. Topper…
Sep 14, 2026 · 42:21
Jack and Gonzo are joined by journalist Ray Marcano and examine the judiciary’s growing political role and the frequent litigation that occurred during Joe Biden’s and now in…
Aug 31, 2026 · 42:25
Today we welcome constitutional law professor Mark Brown to review recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and their implications for social justice. Brown first discusses the close…
Aug 17, 2026 · 36:58
We talk with immigration lawyer Emmanuel Olawale about the consequences facing immigrants after the Trump administration abruptly ended the Temporary Protected Status program.…
Aug 3, 2026 · 35:22
Today we discuss the tension between social justice and politics by examining whether voters expect too much honesty from politicians or tolerate too much dishonesty. When we…
Jul 20, 2026 · 49:41
Based on the law it passed in 2025, the statehouse seems to believe that college professors have the power to indoctrinate students, and so SB 1 limits what college professors…
Jul 6, 2026 · 39:30
Health care systems can tie up their physicians for years though noncompete agreements which preclude them from moving to a competitor. For rural health care systems where there…
Jun 17, 2026 · 51:04
How did the phrase, “diversity, equity and inclusion”—DEI—which sounds like a positive thing, get such a bad rap? The answer lies in how the concept has often been introduced.…
Jun 6, 2026 · 48:48
What has caused the rise in political violence in the United States that culminated with the January 6 insurrection? In part, our government’s uneven and counterproductive…
May 16, 2026 · 44:41
Today, we look into the world of conservative political commentary and focus on Ben Shapiro . At the heart of Shapiro’s approach to messaging is a bent for spouting more fiction…
Apr 27, 2026 · 47:21
We’re joined by Reverend Derrick Holmes, pastor of the Union Grove Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, to explore the intersection of faith, justice and civic responsibility in one…
Apr 10, 2026 · 36:02
Some years back, Connie Cherin was a guest on our podcast and talked about the non-profit she started, Partners for Care . Having supported PFC since then, I thought it was time…
Mar 17, 2026 · 42:54
Chris Vineis, founder of Unite for Safe Social Media , talks with us about the risks that social media presents for kids. The philosophy at Unite for Safe Social Media centers on…
Mar 5, 2026 · 33:58
Article II allows the president to grant pardons for any offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. The presidential pardon power is among the most…
Feb 23, 2026 · 49:07
Today, we are joined by Jeff Wenninger , a retired LAPD Lieutenant, a nationally recognized law enforcement expert and author of “On Thin Ice,” an analysis of how poor leadership…
Feb 13, 2026 · 45:27
While only about 13% of the nation’s population is Black, the percentage of incarcerated Blacks can be as high as 50 %. The proportion of Black men on death row is significantly…
Feb 3, 2026 · 51:59
As part of a reciprocal exchange sponsored by the Columbus Rotary Club, educators from São Paulo, Brazil, were welcomed to Ohio. This group included college professors and…
Jan 25, 2026 · 42:55
A visible law enforcement presence, like the National Guard, may deter crime, but Professor Laura Dugan, of the Ohio State University Department of Sociology, explains that…
Jan 15, 2026 · 47:51
Neil Clark’s perspective as an Ohio lobbyist revealed the pervasive influence of money in politics. By wearing a “DeWine for Governor” t-shirt when he died by suicide, Clark…
Jan 3, 2026 · 45:03
The First Amendment guarantees both freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and both are under attack. These protections apply universally, ensuring that anyone can express…
Dec 23, 2025 · 47:02
There's been a push in recent years by Ohio legislators to accommodate religious education in public schools. We talk with Gary Daniels, lobbyist for the Ohio ACLU, about this…
Dec 15, 2025 · 52:39
The New York Times Editorial Board published a piece on October 31, 2025, about a variety of indicators that should alarm everyone about the threat President Trump poses to our…
Nov 12, 2025 · 43:31
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…
Nov 1, 2025 · 34:29
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…
Sep 17, 2025 · 41:45
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…
Sep 3, 2025 · 30:27
Some people don't believe the Holocaust actually happened or that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. And some people don’t believe that 26 children and adults were massacred at…
Aug 22, 2025 · 45:06
Josh Koskoff , the lawyer for the families of the Sandy Hook victims, did what most thought was impossible. He prevailed in a lawsuit against Remington Arms, the company that…
Aug 13, 2025 · 49:47
Is money the determining factor to school districts producing students who perform well? Surprisingly, the answer is no. If money alone were the key, a small town like…
Jul 1, 2025 · 40:32
Statistics show that between two and five percent of those incarcerated were wrongly convicted and are actually innocent. Can you imagine? How do the wrongly convicted win their…
Jun 18, 2025 · 28:47
We continue our conversation with MAGA faithful Chuck Cordit about why he thinks Donald Trump's first 100 days in office have been successful.
Jun 7, 2025 · 32:29
Donald Trump has the lowest 100-day job approval rating of any president in the past 80 years, with public pushback on many of his policies and extensive economic discontent,…
May 29, 2025 · 44:55
In 1974, Ohio’s prison population was 8,400 Ohioan. By 2011, the number grew to 51,000. Are we any safer as a result? Do all these inmates need to remain behind bars? Are we just…
May 19, 2025 · 38:02
It’s not intuitively obvious, but discarding DEI can result in even fewer medical professionals serving already underserved communities in rural Ohio. The Trump administration is…
May 6, 2025 · 47:23
Bhuwan Pyakurel, a former refugee from Bhutan, resettled in the United States in 2009. He and his family moved to Ohio in 2014 and he became a U.S. citizen in 2015. They bought…
Apr 26, 2025 · 50:17
If the mob were doing what President Donald Trump is doing, we’d call it a shakedown. By way of several executive orders, he has accused some of the largest law firms in America…
Apr 13, 2025 · 47:22
Almost 200,000 Franklin County residents experience poverty every year. That’s enough to fill the Ohio State University football stadium twice. These residents face myriad…
Mar 31, 2025 · 42:10
President Trump has signed more executive orders in his first 10 days and in his first month in office than any recent president has in their first 100 days. Trump critics say…
Mar 19, 2025 · 47:19
Most Americans go to church expecting to hear about salvation, morality and scripture. They don't anticipate hardball political endorsements. But some churches thrive on…
Mar 10, 2025 · 52:44
The judicial system moves at glacial speed, and it isn’t inclined to accept that it’s flawed. Its shortcomings are most glaring with criminal cases. If a convicted person is able…
Feb 26, 2025 · 50:45
Two hours before Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce was to be the keynote speaker at the Columbus VA annual MLK lunch, an organizer told Mr. Boyce he could not mention DEI…
Feb 17, 2025 · 48:11
There’s an old English song, “It’s the rich what gets the pleasure. It's the poor what gets the pain.” The song holds true today. We talk with Bill LaFayette, the owner of…
Jan 31, 2025 · 45:42
With billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos circling in President Trump’s orbit, we are witnessing a new age of extremely wealthy business owners seeking to expand their…
Dec 22, 2024 · 45:22
Are immigrants a drain on society, or does America benefit from their presence? It’s a hot topic, with Republic politicians telling lies during the last election about Haitians…
Dec 3, 2024 · 52:27
Do police officers get it right more often than not when it comes to shooting a suspected threat? Are police trained adequately in terms of simulated scenarios and stressful…
Nov 8, 2024 · 39:59
Guessing the outcomes of cases brought before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) can be challenging, and, sometimes, the court's decisions leave you scratching your…
Sep 26, 2024 · 41:45
Does the First Amendment give us the right to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater? No, and this is one of the very few restrictions on free speech in America. Jack and Gonzo…
Sep 11, 2024 · 45:43
Lawyers know how difficult it can be to represent a client with developmental disabilities and how ill equipped our justice system is to protect them. Our guest, McCracken…
Aug 28, 2024 · 42:10
Ever think about the social determinants of health? At the top of the list: zip codes. Neighborhoods can differ dramatically in terms of safety, education, housing, green space,…
Aug 17, 2024 · 41:10
The U.S. Supreme Court has been in the news lately and not because of its popularity. The court’s recent decisions reflect more ideology than neutral analysis and a disregard for…
Jul 10, 2024 · 37:51
Patriotic Millionaires is a group of high-net-worth Americans who are committed to making all Americans, including themselves, better off by building a more prosperous, stable,…
Jun 23, 2024 · 56:32
Dr. James, an OB/GYN and pediatrician, has spent his professional life trying to achieve equality in birth outcomes. Everyone should receive equal medical care, but that’snot the…
Jun 5, 2024 · 34:25
Everyone regards humility as a virtue, but how many of us appreciate its importance or, more importantly, how the absence of humility impedes societal discourse and hurts…
May 23, 2024 · 33:27
Where do teens in Central Ohio turn when they are scared and feel alone? A teen might have been booted from home after disclosing he’s gay. Sometimes parents are evicted and want…
May 19, 2024 · 42:11
Imagine life in Vinton County, Ohio—13,000 people spread across 450 square miles, with little in the way of resources. No Kroger, Giant Eagle or other big box stores, only Family…
Apr 23, 2024 · 50:10
There’s a little-known truth: public health saved your life today and you probably don't even know it. Public health makes our lives safer and helps us live longer, but its many…
Mar 30, 2024 · 35:07
Should the minimum wage pay enough so that workers can be self-sufficient? If not, why not? Large employers, like Walmart and Kroger, pay wages that exceed Ohio’s minimum wage…
Mar 17, 2024 · 48:10
The terms “evangelical” and “Christian” have been co-opted by conservatives to push their political agenda. For this group, Christianity is less a means for spiritual enrichment…
Feb 24, 2024 · 42:39
Why is it we see a wave of people demanding that certain books to be banned? Are these folks voicing their own personal objections based on their own reading, or are they voicing…
Feb 11, 2024 · 48:00
When your options are limited, selling drugs is the answer. Our guest, Buddy, grew up in a low income, high crime Cincinnati neighborhood, with four siblings and a single mom who…
Feb 4, 2024 · 48:28
Why is it that elected officials can’t draw fair legislative election maps? Despite state constitutional amendments for redistricting reform approved by Ohio voters in 2015 and…
Jan 18, 2024 · 39:33
In theory, juvenile detention centers are places where kids who have committed felonies are helped with their criminal tendencies and behavioral needs, but we’re hearing more…
Jan 8, 2024 · 35:10
What makes journalists risk their lives in war zones or imprisonment by autocratic governments? Award-winning psychiatrist Anthony Feinstein offers his expert perspective on the…
Dec 28, 2023 · 38:10
You might think being a good dad is something that comes naturally, but you would be wrong. Fatherhood has to be learned, and too many men from low-income neighborhoods, where…
Nov 2, 2023 · 35:32
The big issues on the ballot in Ohio this November 7 are Issues 1 and 2. Both will likely make the national news. Jack and Gonzo discuss the proposed constitutional amendment…
Oct 22, 2023 · 38:37
Rachel Muha did what few of us could ever do: she forgave the two men who murdered her son, Brian, in 1999. After she was alerted by the police that Brian was missing, Rachel…
Sep 20, 2023 · 35:34
Is columnist David Rothfopf right—Trump losing in court won't be enough to save democracy? There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the future of democracy—gerrymandering,…
Sep 12, 2023 · 46:35
What’s the purpose of our criminal justice system? Retribution or restoration? When we examine the system, we see racial disparities in sentencing and little effort to understand…
Sep 3, 2023 · 18:53
We continue our conversation with activist Jon Melrod about his efforts in opposing racism, organizing rallies against the Vietnam War and activism in favor of unions.
Aug 24, 2023 · 24:00
How often does a veteran white revolutionary author a book in which he describes a lifetime committed to waging war on white supremacy and misogyny? These two political struggles…
Aug 16, 2023 · 16:17
We continue our conversation with Paul Sparks about the keys for success in transitioning from prison life to life outside the walls. Even then, there are risks—getting into…
Aug 9, 2023 · 20:00
Transitioning from prison life to life outside the walls takes work. Columbus-based Kindway provides a path—the Embark program—for motivated men and women inmates to start the…
Jul 20, 2023 · 41:17
In a special election set for this August, Republicans in the Ohio statehouse and three special interest groups are advocating a change to the state constitution that can only be…
Jul 12, 2023 · 43:31
Is the recent wave of legislation concerning trans children focused on preventing harms or a way for politicians to prove their conservative bona fides? Take a look at these…
Jul 3, 2023 · 35:10
Is the Ohio constitutional mandate that government provide for “a thorough and efficient system of common schools” at risk because of the EdChoice voucher system? When it was…
Jun 25, 2023 · 33:40
The creation of charter schools, also known as community schools, in Ohio is an experiment that has cost Ohioans billions and has provided little educational improvement for its…
Jun 11, 2023 · 44:45
People lie out of self-preservation—think Pete Rose lying about not betting on baseball—or to promote a political goal—President George W. Bush’s administration stating Saddam…
May 21, 2023 · 39:10
Ohio state Senator Jerry Cirino says he sponsored Senate Bill 83 because he wants students to be taught how to think, not what to think. The bill speaks about advancing free and…
Apr 21, 2023 · 48:48
When teachers believe a student suffers from abuse or neglect, they have to submit a report to a public children services agency or the police, but what obligation do teachers…
Mar 19, 2023 · 43:42
Mike Gonidakis and Ohio Right to Life see abortion as a black and white issue. Every fetus deserves to be born. Period. But many Ohioans see it differently. There’s the matter of…
Dec 10, 2022 · 44:34
Christian nationalism speaks to a declaration of war against the enemies of God, but it is far removed from both Christianity and patriotism, and it’s sweeping the nation. We…
Nov 26, 2022 · 30:31
After a career in health care and raising a family in Georgia, Connie Cheren decided to take up the challenge of providing health care services in Kenya, but she had no clue how…
Oct 4, 2022 · 47:20
Ohio lawmakers want to prohibit gender affirming care for children who are trans. Never mind what physicians, social workers and teachers might have to say about the needs of…
Sep 18, 2022 · 40:16
Ohio lawmakers recently passed legislation that allows teachers to carry firearms in the classroom with just 24 hours of training. Teachers, educators and law enforcement…
Sep 1, 2022 · 46:50
The human mind is not readily disposed to accepting facts as they are, which explains election deniers and QAnon believes. Our belief systems have great power in determining how…
Aug 17, 2022 · 46:26
In the Dobbs case, the U.S. Supreme Court found there is no constitutional right to abortion and that the issue of abortion is better left with the states, but state legislatures…
Aug 5, 2022 · 44:26
Remember the movie, “No country for old men?” America is becoming, “no country for statesmen.” John Glenn is one of the last great American heroes—combat veteran, astronaut,…
Jul 23, 2022 · 41:23
The NRA tells us the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. How’s that working for us? Americans own more than 300,000,000 firearms, and we suffer…
Jul 1, 2022 · 38:23
Why is voting in America difficult, and what’s behind the recent efforts by Republican controlled state legislatures to make it even more difficult? Barriers to voting and the…
Jun 18, 2022 · 1:07:46
What does the law say about a police officer’s obligations when stopping and questioning someone for possible criminal conduct? What does a police officer have to consider before…
May 28, 2022 · 33:45
The U.S. Supreme Court is taking on the trappings of being a political body. By carefully appointing justices, a president and the senate can accomplish things they can't make…
May 18, 2022 · 39:04
We want to believe the criminal justice system convicts the right person and allows the innocent to go free. It’s a nice thought, but it doesn’t always work that way. Memories…
May 11, 2022 · 32:40
Ever thought about what it’s like to be homeless? It’s not just a matter of having no place to call your own. It’s a state of crisis where your whole world is turned upside down.…
Apr 29, 2022 · 41:30
Something’s not right in America. The democracy we should all cherish and want to protect is under attack. State legislatures, guided only by partisan politics, control the maps…
Apr 15, 2022 · 35:17
After you finish your prison sentence and pay your debt to society, you should be eligible for work, right? Not exactly. If you want to work in a field where a license is…
Apr 1, 2022 · 43:02
Often seen as a threat, Black youths are denied healthy adolescent development. They’re subject to suspicion and arrest for the most ordinary adolescent activities—shopping for…
Mar 25, 2022 · 43:49
Why are employers reluctant to hire ex-offenders? Is that reluctance always justified? Can employing ex-offenders work out well for both sides? Turns out, ex-offenders are often…
Mar 17, 2022 · 43:47
If you don’t know what critical race theory (CRT) is, don’t feel bad. Neither do the folks in charge of K-12 education in Ohio. In October 2021, the state board of education put…
Mar 9, 2022 · 48:51
Author and lawyer Bryan Stephenson says, “It’s better to be rich and guilty than poor and innocent.” A nice of saying the system is rigged. Find out what Stevenson means by…
Mar 3, 2022 · 45:01
The new Texas abortion law is controversial because it bans abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, a time limit that is unprecedented. But the new law is controversial for…
Feb 22, 2022 · 46:15
Gerrymandering was supposed to end in 2021 for Ohio’s congressional and general assembly maps, by virtue of constitutional amendments approved by over 70 percent of Ohioans. But…
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