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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
Hoke County Board of Education v. State of North Carolina
The North Carolina Supreme Court overturned its own precedent and put an end to more than 30 years of litigation involving the funding of public education in the state.
Commonwealth v. Lee
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that mandating a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, for “felony murder” — a legal doctrine that allows someone to be prosecuted for murder for any death that occurs during the commission of a separate felony, even if the defendant never meant to kill anyone — violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on “cruel” punishments
Luther v. Hoskins
The Missouri Supreme Court rejected voters' challenge to Missouri's new congressional district map, which the plaintiffs said ran afoul of state constitutional prohibitions on mid-decade redistricting. The court said the state constitution contained no express prohibition on mid-decade redistricting and that the map was a "valid exercise" of the "plenary legislative power to establish congressional districts."
State v. Wilson
Ruled that state's pandemic public health orders imposing occupancy limitations on some categories of businesses, do not support a claim for just compensation under takings clause
State v. VanBeek
Ruled that an officer taking an individual's driver's license back to the officer's squad car may constitute a seizure for purposes of constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures
State v. Sewell
Ruled that arrestee has no right to consult counsel when deciding whether to consent to chemical testing because the right does not attach before a prosecution is commenced
People v. Schneider
Dissent wrote that jurisdiction to issue eavesdropping warrants should be constrained by clause regarding telephone intercepts in light of state's fundamental distrust of the use of wiretapping
In re M.M.
Ruled that statute eliminating review of final orders in superior court and instead directed appeals in the supreme court, may be applied to pending case without violating prohibition on retrospective laws
Commonwealth v. Delgado-Rivera
Ruled that a defendant does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in sent text messages that were acquired from codefendant's cell phone
Missorui National Education Association v. Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations
Ruled that exemption of public safety labor organizations from statutory scheme altering public labor relations lacks a rational basis and violates equal protection clause
Watson v. State
Ruled statue requiring minors accused of non-felony traffic offenses to be charged as an adult rather than in juvenile court does not violate constitution’s equal protection clause
State v. Albano
Ruled that state right to trial by jury may diverge from federal right and is not violated by statute authorizing court, not jury, to make criminal history findings for sentencing purposes
State v. Treptow
Ruled that statutes requiring defendant who pleads guilty to establish good cause to pursue direct appeal and to present ineffective assistance claim in postconviction-relief proceeding, do not violate equal protection or due process
