No. 19-8082October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Willix v. United States
The Court declined review, leaving the Eleventh Circuit's result in place without deciding the legal questions raised.
Case status
Decided · April 20, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- What it's about
The Court held that the ACCA’s “use of physical force” provision does not cover prior offenses that can be committed with recklessness rather than a purposeful or knowing mental state. The defendant therefore prevailed on that issue.
Question presented
Whether the “use of physical force” clause in the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(2)(B)(i), encompasses statutory offenses that can be committed with a mens rea of recklessness?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit / Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined review, leaving the Eleventh Circuit's result in place without deciding the legal questions raised.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Willix. Defendants arguing that reckless conduct should not trigger an Armed Career Criminal Act sentence did not receive a Supreme Court answer in this case.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
The Supreme Court declined to review Willix's case from the Eleventh Circuit. It did not decide the merits of whether the Armed Career Criminal Act's physical-force clause covers offenses committed recklessly.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Willix. Defendants arguing that reckless conduct should not trigger an Armed Career Criminal Act sentence did not receive a Supreme Court answer in this case.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its action on this docket. The case remains governed by the lower-court result.
What did the Supreme Court do in Willix v. United States?
The Court declined to review the case. It did not decide the merits of Willix's legal arguments.
Who is affected by the Court's action in Willix?
Willix remains subject to the Eleventh Circuit's result. Other defendants received no new nationwide Supreme Court rule from this case.
What happens next in Willix v. United States?
The Supreme Court docket action is finished. The lower-court result remains in effect in this case.
Timing
Decided April 20, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 20, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Mar 5, 2020 | Court records
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
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology