Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California joins host Renée Rothauge to reflect on how his civil rights-era upbringing in Mississippi, his clerkship for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas – where he contributed to Roe v. Wade and Sierra Club v. Morton – and his experiences as a trial attorney all shaped his judicial philosophy. He discusses his transition from private practice to the federal bench, his belief in the jury trial, and his enduring respect for the United States District Court. Alsup also shares insights from his novel The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald and his memoir Won Over, revealing a lifetime devoted to fairness, truth, and the pursuit of justice.

Related Podcasts
Season 13
Episode S13E5
Dec 11, 2025
S13E5: The Science of Lawyer Wellbeing with Dr. Debra Austin
Trial lawyers live in a constant state of problem-solving, competition, and high…
Season 13
Episode S13E4
Dec 4, 2025
S13E4: Inside the Iran-Contra Affair and Beyond: Six Decades of Trial Advocacy with Jim Brosnahan
Host Vince Citro welcomes San Francisco attorney Jim Brosnahan to discuss a…
Season 13
Episode S13E3
Nov 13, 2025
S13E2: Protecting Children, Driving Reform and Providing Justice: An Interview with Bart Dalton
In this episode, Dave Thomas interviews Bart Dalton, former Delaware Chief Deputy…