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 February 2025.
Featured Cases
LeMieux v. Evers
The Wisconsin Supreme Court held, in a divided decision, that the governor did not exceed his partial veto authority under the state constitution when he altered digits, words, and punctuation in a budget bill to extend a school funding increase from 2 to 402 years.
Griffin v. State Board of Elections
A candidate for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court, who lost by over 700 votes, claims that the state board of elections followed an incorrect process for registering voters and seeks in invalidate more than 60,000 votes.
People v. Taylor; People v. Czarnecki
Michigan Supreme Court held that mandatory life-without-parole sentences violate the state constitution’s protection against “cruel or unusual” punishment for anyone under age 21 at the time of the offense. The decision extends the court’s 2022 ruling in People v. Parks that such sentences are unconstitutional for those 18 or under.
Nevadans For Reproductive Freedom v. Washington et al.
Rejected a challenge by an anti-abortion group to a proposed ballot initiative that would create state constitutional abortion protections
Midsouth Association of Independent Schools v. Parents for Public Schools
Ruled that non-profit organization Parents for Public Schools lacked standing because they could not demonstrate an adverse impact to a 2022 law that allowed independent schools to apply for federal and state funds for certain infrastructure improvements allocated in response to the Covid pandemic.
Firearms Owners Against Crime v. Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear an appeal over whether alleged delays by the state in conducting background checks for gun purchases violates plaintiffs' constitutional due process rights. An appeals court dismissed the lawsuit.
I.S. v. State
Held that a statute requiring prosecutor's written approval as a prerequisite to dismissal and referral to informal supervision if juvenile was charged with offense that, if committed by adult, would constitute felony or gross misdemeanor, did not violate separation of powers
Alliance Housing Incorporated v. County of Hennepin
Held that for the purposes of qualifying for tax exemption, an institution of purely public charity with a purpose of providing housing for low-income individuals uses its real property in furtherance of its charitable purpose when it leases its property to its intended beneficiaries for personal residence
Bienvenu v. Defendant 1
Held that statute, which retroactively revived certain prescribed child sex abuse claims for limited three-year period, conflicted with state constitutional substantive due process protection against disturbing vested rights
Planned Parenthood v. Utah
Plaintiffs claim that abortion restrictions violate the right to determine family composition, Equal Rights Amendment, right to uniform operation of laws, right to bodily integrity and privacy, and right of conscience
State v. Gibbons
Ruled that a statute imposing a mandatory minimum $5,000 fine without regard to a criminal defendant's ability to pay was facially unconstitutional in violation of Montana's proportionality requirement and the Excessive Fines and Fees Clause
Mothering Justice v. Attorney General
Held that the legislature's adoption and amendment of proposed ballot initiatives in the same legislative session violated the people’s right to propose and enact laws through the initiative process. Ordered that proposals raising the minimum wage and providing earned paid sick time take effect as originally adopted, not as amended.
Owens v. Stirling
Held that execution by electrocution and firing squad are not “cruel or unusual” punishments under the state constitution
