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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
Hoke County Board of Education v. State of North Carolina
The North Carolina Supreme Court overturned its own precedent and put an end to more than 30 years of litigation involving the funding of public education in the state.
Commonwealth v. Lee
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that mandating a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, for “felony murder” — a legal doctrine that allows someone to be prosecuted for murder for any death that occurs during the commission of a separate felony, even if the defendant never meant to kill anyone — violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on “cruel” punishments
Luther v. Hoskins
The Missouri Supreme Court rejected voters' challenge to Missouri's new congressional district map, which the plaintiffs said ran afoul of state constitutional prohibitions on mid-decade redistricting. The court said the state constitution contained no express prohibition on mid-decade redistricting and that the map was a "valid exercise" of the "plenary legislative power to establish congressional districts."
Missouri State Conference of the NAACP v. State
Missouri Supreme Court held that voters and advocacy organizations lacked standing to challenge the constitutionality of Missouri’s strict photo ID requirements
League of Women Voters of Missouri v. State
The Missouri Supreme Court permanently enjoined criminal penalties for third-party voter registration and voter-engagement activities, upholding a lower court decision that the restrictions were unconstitutionally vague and violated free speech and association rights
Ellingson v. State
Montana Supreme Court will consider if a law changing requirements for citizen-proposed ballot measures infringes on the powers of initiative and referendum and the applicable standard for such challenges
In re: Lieutenant Governor’s Power to Vote on Final Passage of Legislation
South Dakota Supreme Court issued an advisory opinion construing two state constitutional clauses to conclude the lieutenant governor can cast a tiebreaking vote on final passage of a bill
In re the Detention of M.E. and R.S.
Washington Supreme Court held that caseload limits in indigent defense standards are mandatory and courts lack authority to order attorneys to accept case assignments in violation of those limits, but found the trial court here did not do so
Wisconsin Voter Alliance v. Secord
Wisconsin Supreme Court will consider whether notices to election officials of a court's determination that a person is "incompetent" to vote are subject to disclosure under the state's public records law
Jennings v. Smith
Alabama Supreme Court held that it is legal for police to arrest a person for refusing to show ID during a stop if officers are not satisfied with answers the individual provides about their name and address
Committee for Public Counsel Services v. Middlesex and Suffolk County District Courts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that, given legislative and other measures to address a shortage of indigent defense counsel, there were not extraordinary circumstances that would justify the judiciary ordering a rate increase for attorneys accepting such representations
Kendrick v. Knudsen
Montana Supreme Court reversed attorney general's determination that proposed right-of-direct-democracy initiative violates separate-vote requirement
