Legal Newsline reporter Daniel Fisher joined the American Legal Record podcast to discuss South Carolina asbestos litigation docket. Asbestos lawsuits in South Carolina more than doubled after its state Supreme Court picked Judge Jean H. Toal, a former Chief Justice, to serve as judge for all of the state’s asbestos cases in 2017.

Whit Kennedy, a veteran reporter, appeared on the American Legal Podcast to discuss his watchdog series, which he kicked off by looking into the Cook County State's Attorney's Office under Kim Foxx, including recent exonerations and Foxx's connection to billionaire George Soros.

Bio: Whit Kennedy has worked as a reporter for twenty years, often reporting on legal issues in the Chicago and greater Cook County area.

Wayne Winegarden, senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), appeared on the American Legal Podcast to discuss homelessness in California and the various efforts to address connected issues like mental illness and addiction.

Wayne Winegarden is a senior fellow in Business & Economics at the Pacific Research Institute where he examines connections between macroeconomic policies and economic outcomes. He also serves as the director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation where he leads research and policy efforts to improve the U.S. biomedical industry to support patients.

Winegarden formerly taught in economics at Marymount University and has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, and USA Today and has testified before the U.S. Congress.Pasadena, California based Pacific Research Institute, founded in 1979, is an advocacy organization whose goal is to “champion freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility for all individuals by advancing free-market policy solutions,” according to the group’s web site. Its president is Sally Pipes.

Patrick M. Brenner, founder and president of the Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the SPPI's work to promote sound public policy.

Before launching SPPI, Patrick worked in public relations and marketing, then took charge of the donor engagement and government transparency litigation programs at the Rio Grande Foundation as the Vice President of Development. Patrick is also the author of numerous policy studies. He has appeared in newspapers and on radio and television throughout the nation, including MSN, Fox News, The Washington Times, National Review, and more.

Patrick helps instill American principles in his generation through his activism. Patrick lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with his three children.

Bill Himpler, president of the American Financial Services Association (AFSA) joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss AFSA’s mission, a macro look at the state of credit, mortgage borrowing, its relationship to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the regulatory environment, and what lies ahead re interest rates.

Himpler joined AFSA in 2004 and was elected president in October 2018. He previously headed the congressional relations office at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Prior to joining HUD, Himpler was director of legislative affairs for BGR Holding, LLC. He also worked Capitol Hil as tax counsel and legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.), and as a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Charles Canady (R-Fla.)

Himpler attended the University of Steubenville, received his master’s degree from Dominican House of Studies, and a law degree from The Catholic University of America.

Established in 1916, AFSA is a national trade association for the consumer credit industry in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AFSA represents a wide range of financial services companies, including consumer and commercial finance companies, auto finance companies, mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, and industry suppliers. The association advocates for its members at both the federal and state levels, focusing on legal, regulatory, and legislative issues related to consumer credit.

Joe Nixon, Litigaiton Counsel at the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), joined the American Legal Record Podcst to discuss PILF’s brief in the U.S. Supreme Court arguing against Colorado’s attempt to remove former President Donald Trump from the ballot.

Nixon has been with PILF since April 2023, and has been board certified in Civil Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for over 30 years.

He ran his own law from from 2019 to 2020, and was a senior fellow for Law and Economic Studies at the Texas Public Policy Foundation from 2007 to 2022. Nixon was a parnter at Akerman LLP from 2005 to 2019.

Nixon represented the 133rd State House District in Texas from 1995 to 2007. He

He attended Texas A&M University and received his law degree from St. Mary’s University Law School.

Chris Dickerson, editor of the West Virginia Record, joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss the reduction in transparency and access to court records in West Virginia.

• Chris Dickerson's Experience and Concerns: Chris Dickerson, a seasoned journalist with 19 years of experience covering the West Virginia court system, discussed the significant reduction in online access to court records. From having access to 41 counties' records online in 2004, it has dwindled to just one in 2024, with an impending total loss of online access. This change severely impacts his ability to cover cases and the public's right to information.

• Statewide E-Filing System and Its Implications: The introduction of a statewide e-filing system, intended to centralize and streamline access to court records, paradoxically led to a decrease in public online access. As counties transitioned to this new system, their records became inaccessible online, limiting access to physical courthouse terminals.

• First Amendment Concerns and Public Access: Dickerson discussed the critical role of technology in ensuring transparency and access to court records, arguing that the current situation in West Virginia violates First Amendment rights and the public's ability to obtain information, which is fundamental to the judicial system's openness.

• Future Actions and Industry Impact: The podcast concludes with Dickerson's commitment to investigating and reporting on the accessibility of court records in West Virginia and beyond. He plans to compare access across states and engage with legal professionals, lawmakers, and other journalists to address these transparency issues, despite the challenges posed by the current lack of online access.