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Brennan Center
Alicia Bannon
Editor in Chief
Alicia Bannon is editor in chief for State Court Report. She is also director of the Judiciary Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
A project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law
© 2024 Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law
Contributions
One Simple Way to Support State Constitutionalism
A symposium grapples with practical barriers to state constitutional development.
Arizona Highlights Risk of “Zombie” Laws
Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling has breathed new life into long-unenforced abortion law.
Montana Strikes Down Voting Restrictions
At issue was a series of state laws passed in 2021 that created new hurdles for voting, such as eliminating Election Day voter registration and a ban on paid absentee ballot collection.
State ERAs Take Center Stage
Nevada became the second state in as many months to issue a major abortion ruling based on the state constitution’s equal rights amendment.
What We’ll Be Watching in the 2024 Elections
Our new Election 2024 page that will collect stories that explain, contextualize, and track all the ways state courts and constitutions matter this election season.
Alabama IVF Ruling Puts Spotlight on Fetal Personhood Rights
The decision is an extension of fetal personhood protections that have existed and been enforced in Alabama — and many other states — since before Dobbs.
The Spirit of Aloha vs. the Second Amendment
Quoting the TV show The Wire, the Hawaii Supreme Court observed, “The thing about the old days, they the old days.”
Massachusetts Breaks New Ground in Limiting Youth Punishments
A series of State Court Report essays analyze the broader implications of the ruling.
Texas and the Next Generation of Abortion Fights
Kate Cox sought an emergency abortion after learning her fetus has a fatal genetic condition. Her case illustrates an emerging set of battles to define the scope of legal exceptions to strict state abortion bans.
Judicial Advisory Opinions Explained
State and federal courts differ not just in the substantive rights they recognize but also in how they define judicial power.
Why State Constitutions Matter on Election Day
Two new explainers examine voting rights under state constitutions and how state courts oversee ballot initiatives.
The Stakes in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Election
The outcome could have big implications for abortion rights, elections, and more.
New Mexico Supreme Court Hints at a Big Constitutional Change
A footnote in a recent opinion could signal a new method for analyzing state constitutional claims.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Will Consider Voting Maps with All Justices Participating
Justice Janet Protasiewicz declined to recuse herself from a challenge to the state’s legislative maps, while Republican legislators may be stepping back from impeachment threats.
Governor DeSantis vs. Prosecutorial Discretion
Florida is one of several places where prosecutors are being targeted because of their charging decisions.
Welcome to State Court Report
The new commentary, news, and resource hub covers state constitutional developments nationwide.
Catching Up with State Courts
State courts have had a busy summer, with key rulings on abortion, guns, and environmental rights.
The Constitutional Right to Food
Maine’s protections could be used as a stealth vehicle to thwart gun restrictions.
Protecting Against Extreme Punishments
The Supreme Court’s Eighth Amendment jurisprudence has come to obscure what started as robust state constitutional protections.
The Supreme Court and the States
This term, the justices considered cases with widely varying outcomes and major implications for state courts.
New Hurdles for Citizen Ballot Initiatives
Ohio legislators aim to head off an abortion rights constitutional amendment.
Georgia Breaks with Federal Courts on Economic Liberty
The high court struck down an occupational licensing law under the state Due Process Clause.
Getting Racial Bias Off the Jury
Washington innovates on peremptory strikes.
North Carolina Supreme Court Unleashes Partisan Gerrymandering
The court also upheld voter ID and felony disenfranchisement.
State Courts Confront Climate Change
Two lawsuits seek relief from climate change using state constitutions.
What’s Next in Wisconsin
Republican state legislators threaten to upset long-standing norms of judicial independence.
The Post-Dobbs Patchwork of Abortion Rights
Significant decisions come down in Oklahoma and North Dakota.
Massachusetts Protects the Right to Be ‘Rude’ in Town Meetings
“Peaceable and orderly” isn’t the same as “respectful and courteous.”
Stare Decisis in the Spotlight
North Carolina’s reconfigured supreme court will hear two recently decided democracy cases.
A Conversation with Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven C. González
Washington State’s chief justice discusses balls and strikes, diversity on the bench, and the role of state courts in protecting rights.