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.
People v. Debellis
Ruled that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to request charge on the only defense supported by the trial testimony
People v. Rodriguez
Held that a bicycle stop is a seizure and that police may not initiate encounters with bicyclists absent reasonable suspicion of crime or probable cause of traffic violation
State v. Oldenburg
Held that statute permitting trial court to seal criminal records violates separation of powers by impinging supreme court’s rulemaking power
Vlaming v. West Point School Board
Allowed teacher to proceed with claim that refusal to use a student's preferred pronouns is protected by the teacher's free-exercise rights
Cruz-Guzman v. State
Held that claims of racial imbalances in public education do not need to establish state action caused the racial imbalances
State v. Harrell
Ruled that the right to an impartial jury does not guarantee a criminal defendant a specific number of peremptory challenges
Hoffmann v. New York State Independent Redistricting Commission
Ordered the independent redistricting commission to reconvene to redraw the state's congressional districts to replace court-drawn map
Bennett v. United States
Held that statute of repose barring medical malpractice claims after eight years violated privileges and immunities clause and access to justice guarantees
Black Voters Matter v. Byrd
Plaintiffs allege that the newly enacted congressional map is racially discriminatory and a partisan gerrymander in violation of the state constitution
State v. $2,435 in United States Currency
Held that right to a jury trial in a civil case applies to actions seeking to confiscate money under civil forfeiture statute
