Supreme Court Podcast More Perfect Has Deep Roots in Miami

The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson once remarked that the court's justices are "not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final."

But why?

Short answer: Article III of the U.S. Constitution. The longer answer is explained through a podcast devoted to all things SCOTUS, More Perfect — a podcast for the people, by the people, and served with a little Miami flavor to boot.

"I was a big nerd in high school," confesses More Perfect's managing editor and host Julia Longoria. Even as a teen attending Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, Longoria's admiration and curiosity for the highest court in the land was apparent. She strived so hard to understand the inner workings of the Supreme Court that she was on the school's constitutional debate team.

She admits it wasn't the fastest way to become popular.

"I remember reading the cases and thinking about these fascinating human stories trapped inside," she says. "It was always kind of my hope that I would get to do radio storytelling about the law."

More Perfect was launched in 2016 by WNYC and Jad Abumrad of Radiolab. The podcast was meant to inform as much as it was to entertain through the art of storytelling and to put a face to the four corners of a Supreme Court opinion.

The More Perfect team goes through hours of research and interviews to explain why the Supreme Court is relevant to the average listener.
"Since the opinions are written in a language few Americans understand, they're kind of opaque to us," Longoria explains. "The Court doesn't have the same requirements for transparency as the other branches of government, yet it still affects our lives in such a big way. So it seems imperative that journalism treat the courts with the same rigor and the same attention as we do with the other branches of government."

An episode may explain one case and its infinite impact on America. Another episode will dive into the history and meaning of a constitutional amendment, while others try to shed light on ill-defined terms from "penumbras" to "viability" that have daunted judges for decades.

"Every episode is different," she adds. "It really originates with a member's curiosity. Why is it that way? Where did that come from? We begin to read all the books available about that topic and then start to brainstorm: Who we might interview, prepare interviews, record, and go from there."

More Perfect strives not to point fingers and say something is "wrong." Longoria wants people to disagree with her, and the team believes the ability to interview proponents and opponents brings about democracy and healthy debate.

"The Supreme Court is the place where the biggest arguments that our country inevitably arise, and people in power can make decisions that Americans might not agree with," she says. "I feel like ignoring them, not talking to them, or not holding them accountable isn't going to do anything right."

More Perfect's current season has a few more episodes set to be released, usually on Thursdays, though listeners can expect a new season later this year.

"I think because there's so much attention on the Court right now in a way that just wasn't the case when we first started," Longoria adds. "We're trying to answer the audience's questions about how the Court works and try to unpack the decisions that are coming out more urgently right now."

While reading a dense and lengthy Supreme Court opinion may not make for binge-worthy content, listening to a 45-minute podcast on the way home from work devoid of legalese that tries to draw 243 years of precedent is time well spent.

"I think there is this reverence for the institution and its history," Longoria says. "This idea is that the courts are above the fray, and I think it's worth asking questions about how the Court comes to decisions they come to."

For more information on More Perfect, visit wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect.