State Case Database
Search State Court Report's database of significant state supreme court decisions and pending cases. Download decisions and briefs for cases that develop state constitutional law. This is a selected database and does not include every state supreme court case. See methodology and "How to Use the State Case Database" for more information.
This database is updated monthly, although individual cases may be updated more frequently. Last updated comprehensively with cases decided through May 2024.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature
Sent partisan gerrymandering case back to lower court to consider whether the legislature improperly infringed citizens' lawmaking power when it overturned redistricting reforms passed by initiative. Voters' rights to "reform and alter" the law is a fundamental right.
Hodes & Nauser v. Kobach; Hodes & Nauser v. Stanek
Affirmed district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of health care providers and said that a near-total ban on a common method of second trimester abortion, called a dilation and evacuation, violated the section 1 of the Kansas Constitution Bill of Rights, which protects a right to personal autonomy. In a second opinion, applying strict scrutiny, found unconstitutional additional licensing requirements for physicians who provide abortions than required for other providers.
Evers v. Marklein
Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 6–1 that the law permitting the effective legislative veto of agency land-conservation expenditures violated the executive branch’s “core power” to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” While the Wisconsin Constitution gives the legislature authority to create an agency, define its parameters, and appropriate funds for it, the power to spend those funds in accordance with legislation lies solely with the executive, the court said.
State of Washington v. Gator's Custom Guns
After a lower court found that Washington's weapons ban on magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition violates the state and U.S. constitutions, the Washington Supreme Court issued a stay on enforcing the ruling while the state of Washington appeals the lower court decision.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Hilgers
Held that a bill containing restrictions on abortion and gender-affirming for minors care did not violate the state constitution's prohibition on bills that contain more than one subject because both issues relate to regulating healthcare.
Castellanos v. State of California et al.
Upheld a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 that classifies app-based drivers as independent contractors. Plaintiffs claimed the measure infringed on the state legislature's constitutional authority to create a workers' compensation system.
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature
Sent partisan gerrymandering case back to lower court to consider whether the legislature improperly infringed citizens' lawmaking power when it overturned redistricting reforms passed by initiative. Voters' rights to "reform and alter" the law is a fundamental right.
Planned Parenthood v. Urmanski; Kaul v. Urmanski
Agreed to hear challenges to a 175-year-old law that conservatives claim bans abortion. A lower court said that law did not outlaw abortions. The high court will consider if it does and, if so, if it is still enforceable on an appeal brought by a Republican Wisconsin county attorney. If the law prevents abortions, the court will also consider Planned Parenthood's claim that the Wisconsin Constitution provides a right to an abortion.
People v. Neilly
Held that defendants who are convicted but have been given reprieve from life-without-parole sentences because their crimes were committed as teenagers can still be required to pay restitution costs.
Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission
The Wisconsin Supreme Court reinstated the use of ballot drop boxes, finding it was within election officials statutory authority to decide whether or not to offer them as a way for voters to return absentee ballots.
Evers v. Marklein
Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 6–1 that the law permitting the effective legislative veto of agency land-conservation expenditures violated the executive branch’s “core power” to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” While the Wisconsin Constitution gives the legislature authority to create an agency, define its parameters, and appropriate funds for it, the power to spend those funds in accordance with legislation lies solely with the executive, the court said.
Hodes & Nauser v. Kobach; Hodes & Nauser v. Stanek
Affirmed district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of health care providers and said that a near-total ban on a common method of second trimester abortion, called a dilation and evacuation, violated the section 1 of the Kansas Constitution Bill of Rights, which protects a right to personal autonomy. In a second opinion, applying strict scrutiny, found unconstitutional additional licensing requirements for physicians who provide abortions than required for other providers.
Texas v. Loe
The Texas Supreme Court refused to block a ban on certain medical treatments for transgender minors, saying the state legislature had a rational basis for passing the law and that it does not improperly infringe on the rights of parents to make medical decisions for the children or on physicians’ abilities to treat patients. The court also said the law does not constitute sex discrimination and declined to treat transgender people as a protected class.