How does one become a judge? Does being one makes more judgmental in your personal life? David is joined by Judge John Torrence to discuss the path to becoming a judge, the challenges of the job, and lessons learned on the bench.

What is the true purpose of prison? Sentencing sits at the absolute center of criminal justice, sparking fierce debate from every angle—whether it’s public outrage over lenient terms or the devastating, unintended consequences of mandatory minimums. This week, David sits down with Professor Sheldon Evans of Washington University in St. Louis, a leading expert on punishment theory, to break down the historical, social, and philosophical forces that dictate how we punish crime.

We like to believe the justice system is a machine designed to distill absolute truth, but what happens when the human elements running it are hardwired to lie? In this eye-opening episode, host and criminal defense attorney David Bell sits down with researcher, author, and advisor Dr. Arin Reeves to dissect the psychology of dishonesty.

In American political rhetoric, immigration and crime are constantly fused together. From the deportation of violent offenders to the mechanics of border enforcement, the public conversation is heavily dominated by a criminal justice framework.

But there is a massive disconnect: immigration courts are actually civil courts, not criminal ones.

How do we cut through the noise and look at these highly complex legal realities with clear minds when fear is being stoked on all sides? To dismantle the myths and map out the facts, David is joined by premier immigration attorney Rekha Sharma-Crawford for a grounded, nuanced conversation unlike anything you’ve heard on this topic.

David wraps Season One with Sheriff Eric Kirsch, an unlikely lawman whose journey began in New York and took him through military service in Iraq and Afghanistan before landing in rural Kansas. Kirsch shares a fascinating personal story of trauma and resilience, revealing his deeply human and authentic approach to law enforcement—one built on acknowledging the shared humanity of others.

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire of organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintended, even catastrophic, consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed, and the parents found themselves accused of abuse. In this second part of the interview, David and Sarah discuss the consequences of this ordeal and the lessons that can be learned from it.

In many of our systems of governance, whether in health, justice, or the economy, the desire by the organisations, movements, or individuals to do good can often have unintentional, even catastrophic consequences. David is joined by Sarah Goble, who brought her baby son to the hospital, only to nearly lose both her children when her son’s illness was misdiagnosed and the parents found themselves accused of abuse. In this first part, Sarah details the harrowing story from medical emergency to legal battle.

Our brain’s capacity for storing memories is the foundation for our learning and relationships, as well as witness testimonies. However, scientific research increasingly suggests just how unreliable this mental archive actually is. Join David and groundbreaking psychologist Prof. Elizabeth Loftus as they detail her decades of work on the science of memory manipulation. Prof. Loftus explains the misinformation effect—how post-event information can distort recall—and shares her experience providing expert testimony in high-profile trials. They discuss how her research directly impacts modern interrogation techniques, offers critical lessons on separating verifiable fact from implanted suggestion, and forces us to rethink how we handle memory in all areas of life.