The Supreme Court is one week into the new term, and we’re here to catch you up. We recap last week’s arguments, including the major partisan gerrymandering case, Gill v. Whitford. Wisconsin Solicitor General Misha Tseytlin, who argued the case for the state, joins us as a guest to help walk us through what went down at the argument—and to help us figure out what the justices might be thinking. We also discuss whether Justice Neil Gorsuch tipped his hand in either of the reargued immigration cases, Jennings v. Rodriguez and Sessions v. Dimaya; and what the law of contracts can tell us about the plea-bargaining case Class v. United States. We also briefly preview this week’s arguments, including Jesner v. Arab Bank, an important case about the scope of the Alien Tort Statute.

And, of course, we try to solve a lot of mysteries, too. Who is the mysterious River Master, and how can you become one? Why were all the justices but one recused from a case on the orders list? What the heck is going on with the new Supreme Court transcriptionist? Why does the solicitor general’s office have an award named after Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso? And are the Firsties drunk-dialing the First Mondays hotline?

Recommended Citation: First Mondays Podcast, OT2017 #2: “Who is the River Master?”, SCOTUSblog (Oct. 9, 2017, 9:20 AM), https://www.scotusblog.com/2017/10/ot2017-2-river-master/