United States v. Kras

Decided January 10, 1973. Harry Andrew Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 71-749 · 409 U.S. 434 (1973) · Cited 846 times

Holding

This case is not controlled by Boddie, supra, For here access to courts is not the only conceivable relief available to bankrupts; the filing-fee requyirement does not deny an indigent the equal protection of the laws, since there is no constitutional right to obtain a discharge of one's debts in bankruptcy; the right to a discharge in bankruptcy is not a 'fundamental' right demanding a compelling governmental interest as a precondition to regulation; and there is a rational basis for the fee requirement.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Boddie v. Connecticut · 401 U.S. 371 (1971)
• Dandridge v. Williams · 397 U.S. 471 (1970)
• Richardson v. Belcher · 404 U.S. 78 (1971)
• Brown v. Allen · 344 U.S. 443 (1953)
• Lindsey v. Normet · 405 U.S. 56 (1972)
• Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp. · 337 U.S. 541 (1949)
• Goldberg v. Kelly · 397 U.S. 254 (1970)
• First Nat. Bank of Ariz. v. Cities Service Co. · 391 U.S. 253 (1968)
• Griswold v. Connecticut · 381 U.S. 479 (1965)
• Fuentes v. Shevin · 407 U.S. 67 (1972)
• Griffin v. Illinois · 351 U.S. 12 (1956)
• Meyer v. Nebraska · 262 U.S. 390 (1923)
• Shapiro v. Thompson · 394 U.S. 618 (1969)
• Poller v. Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. · 368 U.S. 464 (1962)
• Bolling v. Sharpe · 347 U.S. 497 (1954)
• Bell v. Burson · 402 U.S. 535 (1971)
• Loving v. Virginia · 388 U.S. 1 (1967)
• Skinner v. Oklahoma Ex Rel. Williamson · 316 U.S. 535 (1942)
• Eisenstadt v. Baird · 405 U.S. 438 (1972)
• Local Loan Co. v. Hunt · 292 U.S. 234 (1934)
• Flemming v. Nestor · 363 U.S. 603 (1960)
• Graham v. Richardson · 403 U.S. 365 (1971)
• Jefferson v. Hackney · 406 U.S. 535 (1972)
• Kalb v. Feuerstein · 308 U.S. 433 (1940)
• Williams v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. · 236 U.S. 549 (1915)
• Chessman v. Teets · 354 U.S. 156 (1957)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Ortwein v. Schwab · 410 U.S. 656 (1973)
• Logan v. Zimmerman Brush Co. · 455 U.S. 422 (1982)
• Zablocki v. Redhail · 434 U.S. 374 (1978)
• Little v. Streater · 452 U.S. 1 (1981)
• Kadrmas v. Dickinson Public Schools · 487 U.S. 450 (1988)
• Grogan v. Garner · 498 U.S. 279 (1991)
• San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez · 411 U.S. 1 (1973)
• Flagg Bros., Inc. v. Brooks · 436 U.S. 149 (1978)
• Rowland v. California Men's Colony, Unit II Men's Advisory Council · 506 U.S. 194 (1993)
• Rust v. Sullivan · 500 U.S. 173 (1991)
• Maher v. Roe · 432 U.S. 464 (1977)
• Hurtado v. United States · 410 U.S. 578 (1973)
• Moore v. Harper · 600 U.S. 1 (2023)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1973). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).