No. 19-1051October Term 2019Decided Jun 22, 2020
Kansas v. Boettger
This case asks whether Kansas may punish a person for making a violent threat when the person acted with reckless disregard that the statement would place someone in fear.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 22, 2020
- What it's about
This case asks whether Kansas may punish a person for making a violent threat when the person acted with reckless disregard that the statement would place someone in fear. The Kansas Supreme Court struck down the State’s criminal-threat law to the extent it allowed conviction based on recklessness, concluding the First Amendment requires a higher level of intent.
Question presented
Does the First Amendment prohibit a State from criminalizing threats to commit violence communicated in reckless disregard of the risk of placing another in fear?
- Case path
Supreme Court of Kansas / Decision released Jun 22, 2020
- Area
First Amendment
Timing
Decided June 22, 2020
The Court released its decision on June 22, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 2, 2026
- Method
- Methodology
Primary materials8
Supreme Court docket 19-1051
docket | Jul 25, 2026
Primary case document
Supreme Court document | Jul 25, 2026
CourtListener docket record
docket | Jul 25, 2026
Opinion
opinion | Jun 22, 2020
Petition
brief | Feb 20, 2020
Lower Court Orders/Opinions
order | Dec 17, 2019
SupremeCourt.gov
official | Jul 2, 2026
SupremeCourt.gov
official | Jul 2, 2026