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.
Chevron U.S.A. v. Monterey County
Struck down local ordinance prohibiting coastal oil drilling and fracking activities as preempted by state law
State v. Watson
Held that first-time in-court identifications can be conducted only if there is “good reason”
Draper v. Gentry
Held that defendants are permitted discovery from victims if defendant seeks evidence of “constitutional dimension” and the requested discovery is “very likely” to contain such evidence
People v. Posey
Held that law requiring appellate courts to affirm all criminal sentences fitting within the legislature's sentencing guidelines violated the right to appeal
Planned Parenthood v. South Carolina
Held that abortion ban does not violate the constitution’s right to privacy or guarantees of equal protection or due process
June Medical Services v. Landry
Plaintiffs claim that abortion bans violate the state constitution’s guarantee of due process and prohibition on unlawful delegation of legislative authority
State v. Hacker
Ruled that law requiring indefinite sentences for certain offenses, with minimum and maximum prison terms, does not violate constitution's separation of powers, jury right, or due process clauses
State v. Bell
Ruled that COVID-19-related exclusion of spectators from courtroom, with broadcast in adjacent room, was a closure implicating defendant's constitutional right to a public trial
State v. Boyer
Ruled that search freely consented to by minor third-party, who had common authority over the premises, satisfies search and seizure clause
Rowe v. Raoul
Ruled that pretrial release laws abolishing monetary bail do not violate constitution's bail, crime victims' rights, or separation of powers clauses
