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.
All Star Awards & Ad Specialties, Inc. v. HALO Branded Solutions
Held that a statutory damages cap did not violate the right to a jury trial because the relevant claims would not have been tried by a jury in 1820 when the constitutional right was adopted
Kellogg v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Ruled that a retroactive law permitting new civil claims by family members did not violate the contracts or due process rights of a tortfeasor that had no affected vested right
Westlawn Cemeteries, LLC v. The Louisiana Cemetery Board
Held that a rule governing cemetery trusts exceeded the promulgating agency's authority, violating the constitution's separation of powers provision
Mellor v. The Parish of Jefferson
Held that a local traffic ordinance tasking school boards with enforcement violated home rule provisions which prohibit local legislative bodies from affecting school boards
Hawkins v. Ivey
Ruled statutes affording governor’s discretion to opt out of federally enhanced unemployment benefits programs did not create exception to state immunity under constitution
Boyd v. State
Held that the state's education funding and property taxation system did not violate the education, proportional contribution, or common benefits clauses of the constitution
Thourtman v. Junior
Held that, despite right to pretrial release, a court may detain a defendant without setting release conditions to first conduct a hearing to determine the defendant's eligibility for release
State v. Poe
Held that right to restitution for crime victims does not confer standing on victims to seek or renew orders of restitution in criminal cases when the state declines to do so
Dutchess v. Dutch
Ruled granting decision-making authority to father regarding vaccinating children did not violate mother’s constitutional rights to free exercise of religion or due process
Advocates for School Trust Lands v. State
Held that statute relinquishing the state's ownership of certain water rights did not violate the state's constitutional trustee duties
