October Term 2019 · Docket 18-6135
Does the Constitution require states to allow a moral capacity insanity defense?
Kansas rejects the moral capacity insanity defense. the side that brought the case argues this violates due process.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Sarah Schrup argued moral capacity defines criminal culpability.
She stated this understanding persists in most jurisdictions.
Elizabeth Prelogar argued the side that brought the case failed to prove a constitutional violation.
She stated the state legislature made a valid policy choice.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 20-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 20-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-22 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-52 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 12-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 40-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 42-44 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 42-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 6-18 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 6-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 38-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 48-8
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Kansas law requires defendants to know an act is illegal to claim insanity. It does not require proof that the defendant understood the act was morally wrong. the side that brought the case argues this standard violates the Constitution. The state argues it has the right to define criminal culpability.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 7, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 12-24
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to strike down the Kansas insanity standard.
Kansas wants the Court to uphold its current insanity law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues moral capacity is a fundamental right protected by due process.
Kansas argues states may define insanity without a moral capacity requirement.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if knowing an act is illegal suffices for sanity.
Justice Alito asked if a mental disorder diagnosis alone proves insanity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 20-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 20-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-22 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-52 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 12-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 40-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 42-44 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 42-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 6-18 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 6-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 38-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 48-8
Why it matters
This case defines the constitutional limits on state insanity defenses. It determines whether moral judgment is a required element of criminal responsibility. The outcome shapes how states evaluate defendant culpability in criminal trials.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 20-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 20-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-22 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-52 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 12-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 40-48 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 40-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 42-44 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 42-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 6-18 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 6-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 38-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 48-8
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 24-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 24-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 54-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 54-10
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.