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.
State ex rel. Kristof v. Fagan
Held that under constitution's residency requirements for gubernatorial candidates, a person can only have one residence at a time
Pentico v. Idaho Commission for Reapportionment
Rejected a challenge to congressional reapportionment plan based on claims that the reapportionment commission failed to meet timelines dictated by the constitution
Glass v. City of Montgomery
Held local ordinance assessing red-light violation civil penalties was not preempted as it did not conflict with general laws, met a local needs exception, and did not fix punishment for a crime
State v. Hildreth
Held that judicial conduct may result in a bar to retrial under the state constitution's double jeopardy clause
Choice v. Ashcroft
Held that laws enabling state officials to delay referendum proponents from beginning to collect petition signatures infringe on the constitutional right to referendum
Associated Press v. Usher
Holding that the public's right to observe public body deliberations is not violated when the body intentionally avoids a quorum to shield deliberations from public view
State v. Lilly
Held that jury management practices may violate the right to a jury comprising a cross-section of the community if those practices cause the systemic exclusion of a particular group
Matter of Congressional Districts by New Jersey Redistricting Commission
Upheld congressional district reapportionment plan as meeting state and federal equal protection and due process requirements
Detroit Caucus v. Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
Ruled that congressional and legislative district reapportionment plans adopted by independent commission satisfy the state constitution's redistricting provisions
State v. Reeves
Held that once a defendant has waived their self-representation right by proceeding to trial with counsel, the trial court may deny a later request for self-representation
