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.
Mayor & City Council of Ocean City v. Commissioners of Worcester County
Ruled tax set off statutes permitting counties to deny municipal tax setoff requests do not impermissibly regulate local affairs in violation of home rule amendment
State v. Wright
Held that a warrantless search of a citizen's trash left out for collection violates the state constitution
State v. Amstutz
Ruled that arrest violated search and seizure clause because information available to other officers that would have created probable cause could not be imputed to arresting officer
Edwards v. Thomas
Held that the Child Passenger Protection Act does not violate the separation of powers doctrine of the state constitution
State v. Carter
Ruled that stop based on officer's mistaken interpretation of license plate concealment statute violated state constitution's search and seizure clause even though it would not have violated federal Fourth Amendment
Sheffield v. Detroit City Clerk
Held that a governor stopping city charter revisions from being submitted to voters would conflict with constitutional clauses vesting cities with control over their charters
People v. Washington
Ruled that trial court lacked jurisdiction when it resentenced defendant pursuant to intermediate appellate court's order while defendant's appeal was pending in state supreme court
Myers v. Reno Cab Co.
Ruled that employee status for constitutional minimum wage amendment is determined by totality of circumstances, and provision entitling aggrieved employees to all available remedies only applies to claims under the amendment.
Taxpayers for Michigan Constitutional Government v. State
Ruled that state payments to school districts are included in total state spending for purposes of constitutional spending requirements, but charter schools are not school districts for purposes of the amendment
James v. Heinrich
Held that pandemic order restricting or prohibiting in-person instruction violated right to free exercise of religion
