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.
O.G. v. Superior Court of Ventura County
Ruled legislative amendment to initiative statute to prohibit transfer of minors under age 16 from juvenile to criminal court was constitutionally consistent with and furthered statute’s intent
Doe v. La Fuente, Inc.
Ruled that federal test for employer-employee relationship also governs employee definition under state minimum wage amendment, and independent contractor statute does not remove the amendment's protections
Emerson v. Hillsborough County
Ruled that county charter amendment directing allocation of tax proceeds conflicts with state law and invalidated the tax as voters would not have approved the tax without the accompanying distribution scheme
City of Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals v. UJ-Eighty Corp.
Ruled that zoning ordinance that defined fraternities and sororities based on their relationship with university was not an unconstitutional delegation of zoning authority to the university
State v. Misch
Ruled that right to bear arms clause protects a limited right to self-defense, and statute banning large-capacity magazines is a reasonable exercise of the state's police power
People v. Gordon
Ruled that to search vehicles located outside defendant's residence, search and seizure clause requires that a warrant refer to the vehicles with particularity
Clark Fork Coalition v. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
Ruled that statute providing for only limited review of surface water degradation risk before issuance of water use permit did not violate right to a clean and healthful environment
Grisham v. Romero
Ruled that Secretary of Health's emergency order restricting indoor dining was not an unconstitutional exercise of legislative powers in the context of the public health crisis
Fay v. Merrill
Ruled governor’s executive order to add Covid-19 as a new reason for requesting an absentee ballot did not violate constitution’s absentee ballot clause
State v. Lee
Ruled that evidence of a separate, independent crime after an illegal entry should not have been suppressed under constitution's search and seizure clause