Explore every episode of the podcast First Thursday

FAQs 00:00:49 What’s new with LRIS? 00:01:24 Cases Cook County CO WinsADA Remedy For Unlawful Fitness-For-Duty Exam, Nawara v. Cook Cnty., 132 F.4th 1031 (7th Cir. 2025). 00:03:06 Union President Engaged In Protected Concerted Activity When Sharing Confidential Report, Montana Highway Patrol v. Montana Federation of Public Employees (Jacobs, 2025). 00:14:49 No Due Process Owed […]

0:01:32  What’s new with LRIS. 0:03:20  Seattle Officers Who Attended Jan 6 Rally Cannot Remain Anonymous, John Does 1, 2, 4, & 5 v. Seattle Police Dep’t, 2025 Wash. LEXIS 86 (2025). 0:15:24  Terminated Firefighter’s “Perceived Speech” Claim Triggers First Amendment Protect ions, Vargas v. City of Tracy, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31591 (E.D. Cal. […]

Rick and economist Jeremy Crimmel discuss the nation’s economic outlook and what effects tariffs may have on inflation. Cases: State Court Confirms Louisiana Police Association’s Right to Engage in Political Activity, La. State Troopers Ass’n v. State Police Comm’n, 2025 La. App. LEXIS 135 (La. App. 1st Cir. Jan. 30, 2025). Bad Record Keeping Defense […]

In this month’s podcast, Rick discusses an important free speech case involving a fight over a police association’s logo and speaks with police defense attorney Lance LoRusso about a use of force case being decided by the Supreme Court. 00:01:41 — What’s going on with LRIS. 00:02:50 — Union logo free speech case (FOP Pennsylvania […]

This month’s podcast explores the connections between all workers, whether public safety or civilian, federal or state, public or private. Rick Poulson is joined by his colleague Joe Richardson to discuss this with a focus on a recent union-busting case out of Douglas County Colorado. 0: 03:43 – What’s going on with LRIS? 0:06:08 – […]

Happy 2025! The nasty bug that’s spreading across the East Coast hit our podcast host, Rick Poulson. He’s finally recovered enough to record this episode, but please forgive the cough. In this month’s podcast, we go over: Two cases:

Happy holidays to all our listeners. In this month’s First Thursday podcast, Rick covers: Pensions and Politics. What is the Social Security Fairness Act and does it have a chance of being passed? Progressive DAs. Elon Musk has his sights set on them. This month’s cases: Officer’s DWI Arrest Not Exculpatory Evidence, Doe v. City […]

Happy Veteran’s Day and thank you to all who served. Sorry we’re late! This month’s First Thursday should be renamed “Second Monday.” In this month’s podcast, Rick covers two union leave cases and two involving social media posts. The Cases: Gilmore v. Gallego, No. CV-23-0130-PR, 2024 WL 3590669 (Ariz., 2024). Borgelt v. Austin Firefighters Ass’n, […]

LRIS Executive Director Rick Poulson goes over four cases in this month’s podcast, two involving free speech and two on prosecutorial immunity. This month’s cases: Ohio Security Guard’s Facebook “All Lives Splatter” Meme Protected by 1st Amendment, Noble v. Cincinnati & Hamilton Cnty. Pub. Libr., 112 F.4th 373 (6th Cir. 2024). (0:06:46) 7th Circuit Instructs […]

Michael Freeman, Executive Vice President of the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association joins LRIS Executive Director Rick Poulson to discuss Mike’s career in law enforcement labor relations, and the two go over cases involving marijuana use and free speech. This month’s cases: Jersey City Extends Losing Streak Against Police Marijuana Use, Shea v. State of […]