In July 2022, WNYC announced it would return in 2023 for a fourth season, with a new host in Julia Longoria.

The podcast debuted as a spinoff of WNYC's Radiolab on June 2, 2016, with an episode entitled "Cruel and Unusual", which was dedicated to the legal history of the death penalty in the United States.

[6][7] The podcast was developed to focus on the history of decisions made by the Supreme Court.

[11] On July 14, 2022, WNYC Studios announced that it would return for a fourth season with new host Julia Longoria.

[20] The show won the 2018 Webby award for "Best Sound Design/Original Music Score".