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. Smart
Ruled that circumstances giving rising to probable cause were not unforeseeable and spontaneous, thus police did not meet the automobile exception to justify a warrantless search of a car
Barron v. Kolenda
Ruled town’s public comment policy requiring remarks be respectful and courteous at town meetings was unconstitutional and violated right to assembly and right to free speech
Wilson v. City of St. Louis
Ruled that provisions of a state parking statute creating duties for municipal officers violated the constitutional prohibition against certain laws affecting charter cities
Boan v. Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
Ruled that constitutional residency requirement for state court judges attaches at the time of appointment, not at the time of nomination
GM Berkshire Hills LLC v. Berks County Board of Assessment
Ruled that the school district's selective real estate tax assessment appeals did not violate the Uniformity Clause of the constitution when the district chose only recently sold properties for appeal
The Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity v. Dickson
Ruled that statements allegedly defaming abortions rights group were protected opinion about abortion law made in pursuit of changing that law, and were protected speech
Cameron v. EMW Women's Surgical Center, P.S.C.
Held that the plaintiffs lacked standing to assert the rights of their patients and could not bring related constitutional claims against the abortion bans
State v. Murphy
Ruled that while defendant had a legitimate privacy interest in his real-time cell site location information, police's warrantless ping was justified by exigent circumstances
Virlar v. Puente
Ruled that statute reducing plaintiff’s award of damages by settlement amount received by plaintiff’s daughter did not violate state constitution’s Open Courts provision
People v. Brown
Held that off-the-record juror challenges at sidebar conferences without defendant did not violate defendant’s constitutional right to be present at all stages of the criminal proceedings
