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.
VanWinkle v. Sage
Ruled proposed ballot initiative to revise animal cruelty statute to expand definitions of animal cruelty and sexual act with an animal violated single-subject requirement
Harvey v. Merchan
Ruled that statute allowing time-barred civil claims for childhood sexual abuse to be revived does not violate prohibition on retroactive laws or defendants' due process or equal protection rights
Gilliam v. State
Ruled that precedent in which court exercised jurisdiction with no constitutional or statutory basis, but in the interest of judicial economy, was inconsistent with constitution's jurisdictional provisions
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement v. State
Ruled that suit seeking to force state officials to require farmers to reduce chemical levels in a river should be dismissed for lack of standing and nonjusticiability under separation of powers
Anthony A. v. Commissioner of Corrections
Ruled prisoner’s sex offender classification violated state constitution's criminal due process clause and procedural but not substantive due process rights of the prisoner
Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government Waste Management District v. Jefferson County League of Cities, Inc.
Ruled that statute giving cities in a county with a consolidated local government additional rights with resect to waste management districts violated clause requiring legislation treat all cities equally
Frazier v. Talbert
Ruled that in proceeding for revocation of a driver's license for DUI, where the driver demanded a blood test, but that test was never given, there is no per se violation of constitutional due process
State v. Hamer
Ruled that rights to jury trial and to waive jury trial do not make trial court's failure to follow statutorily prescribed procedure for waiver of a jury trial a structural error
Deminski v. State Board of Education
Ruled that a claim for violation of right to sound basic education exists where a government entity with control over schools is deliberately indifferent to ongoing harassment that prevents a student from learning
Cheryl Lloyd Humphrey Land Inv. Co. v. Resco Products, Inc.
Ruled that right of assembly and petition protects statements made before a local political subdivision during a public zoning process, regardless of whether the statements were malicious or false