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Daniel Kroeker v. United States

IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, No. 24-3060 · judgment July 8, 2025


Certiorari denied · June 1, 2026

Question presented

There is widespread disagreement over how to instruct juries on the meaning of the phrase “lascivious exhibition” in child-pornography-related prosecutions. The question presented is: Whether, in a non-production child-pornography prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2), a trial court should define the phrase “lascivious exhibition” (codified in 18 U.S.C. § 2256(2)(A)(v)) by, inter alia, instructing the jury to consider (or not) a list of six optional factors (known as the Dost factors) that can be given whatever weight the jury decides, as well as whether the image “would appeal to persons who are sexually attracted to children.”

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Daniel Tyler Hansmeier
Kansas Federal Public Defender's Office

For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Proceedings

  1. Jun 01 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  2. May 13 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/28/2026.
  3. May 12 2026
    Reply of petitioner Daniel Kroeker filed. (Distributed)
  4. Apr 29 2026
    Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
  5. Mar 23 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including April 29, 2026.
  6. Mar 19 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 30, 2026 to April 29, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  7. Feb 17 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including March 30, 2026.
  8. Feb 13 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from February 27, 2026 to March 30, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  9. Jan 23 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including February 27, 2026.
  10. Jan 22 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from January 28, 2026 to February 27, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  11. Dec 29 2025
    Response Requested. (Due January 28, 2026)
  12. Dec 24 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
  13. Dec 18 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
  14. Nov 20 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 24, 2025)