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 March 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.
Indigenous Lifeways v. New Mexico Compilation Commission Advisory Committee
Ruled that ballot measure proposing constitutional amendment to reform a regulatory commission did not violate constitution’s single-measure rule
Preterm-Cleveland v. Yost
Plaintiffs claim that the state's six-week abortion ban violates the fundamental right of individual liberty, as well as equal protection and due process guarantees
Quinn v. State
Ruled that new capital gains tax is consistent with constitution's tax uniformity provisions and privileges and immunities clause
State v. Abu Youm
Dissent argued that majority fails to meaningfully apply Iowa’s two-part test concerning community caretaking exception to rule against unreasonable searches
State v. Lafoga
Dissent argued multiple constitutional missteps by trial court, including deprivation of right to be presumed not guilty, effective assistance of counsel, and impartial judge
State v. Purcell
Held that when an individual’s “substantial rights” are affected by a postconviction order, the order is appealable per constitutional right to appeal criminal convictions
Vitale v. Bellows Falls Union High School
Held that Education clause does not require the state to pay for children to attend the school of their parents' choice, and the state may select any appropriate, substantially equal, means for providing education
City of Houston v. Houston Proffesional Fire Fighters Association
Ruled that provision of public employee law did not violate constitutional separation of powers because it established "reasonable standards" for judicial enforcement
Winchester v. State
Held that Maine courts must apply a “flexible balancing test” weighing all relevant circumstances in assessing speedy trial violations
Johnson v. State
Ruled that defendants do not have a constitutional right to hybrid representation, but that there is also no constitutional prohibition against it
