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 April 2024.
Featured Cases
Texas v. Loe
The Texas Supreme Court refused to block a ban on certain medical treatments for transgender minors, saying the state legislature had a rational basis for passing the law and that it does not improperly infringe on the rights of parents to make medical decisions for the children or on physicians’ abilities to treat patients. The court also said the law does not constitute sex discrimination and declined to treat transgender people as a protected class.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc, et al. v. Kim Reynolds, et al.
The Iowa Supreme Court held that abortion is not a fundamental right under the state constitution and is only subject to rational basis review. The court reversed a lower court injunction halting the state's "fetal heartbeat" law.
Drummond v. Statewide Virtual Charter Schoolboard
Ruled that the state education board’s approval of a Catholic school's application to be a public charter school violated the Oklahoma Constitution, the federal Establishment Clause, and the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act
Adams v. DeWine
Invalidated congressional district map as violating the state constitution's redistricting provisions
Whitehead v. Fagan
Ruled qualified voters under the constitution’s initiative provision do not include voters with inactive registration and thus whose signatures may not count on initiative petitions
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania v. Degraffenreid
Enjoined the tabulating and certifying of votes on victim’s rights ballot question, ruled amendment violated constitution’s separate vote requirement
The Detroit News, Inc. v. Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
Ruled redistricting commission’s closed-session meeting and withholding of memoranda requested by news organizations violated open meetings and publication of supporting materials requirements
State v. Stephens
Ruled statute violated separation of powers clause because it delegated authority to the Attorney General to prosecute election laws, a power more properly assigned to the judicial department
Thom v. Barnett (In re Election Contest Dakota Constitution to Legalize)
In challenge to initiated constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana, ruled proposed amendment violated constitution’s single subject and separate vote requirements
In re Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission
Ruled constitutional provision for congressional redistricting process did not create new protections against minority vote dilution beyond those provided by the federal Voting Rights Act
Laws v. Grayeyes
Concurrence wrote that Utah's separation of powers provision would not prevent the legislature from granting standing to a plaintiff and questions applying federal standing rules
State v. Arctic Village Council
Ruled statutory witness requirement for absentee voting imposed unconstitutional burden during pandemic on right to vote absentee
Reclaim Idaho & the Commission to Protect & Preserve the Idaho Constitution, Inc. v. Denney
Ruled law increasing signature threshold and setting effective date of all voter-approved initiatives unconstitutionally infringed on people’s initiative and referendum powers