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
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court dismissed legislators' appeal from trial court ruling that struck the state's congressional map. Lower court said law the map was enacted under violated a fundamental right of voters to alter or reform their government — recognized by the Utah high court earlier in the case — by repealing a redistricting-reform initiative, and subsequently adopted plaintiffs' proposed alternative map
Commonwealth v. Council for Better Education; LaFontaine v. Council for Better Education
Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a law providing for charter schools funds education outside the “system of common schools,” in violation of clauses requiring the legislature to establish such a system and voters to approve such funding
McDougle v. Nardo
Virginia Supreme Court permitted legislature's proposed amendment to redraw the state’s congressional map to proceed to a vote, while it considers appeal of trial court decision finding the legislative process unconstitutional
In re Individuals in Custody of the State
Reaffirmed court’s constitutional power in granting extraordinary relief to the Office of Public Defender during the pandemic relating to expedited release of inmates
Aparicio v. State
Held that, for purposes of victims' rights clause, victim impact letters are limited to persons who had been directly and proximately harmed by the crime
In re Williams
Ruled that state’s cruel punishment clause provides greater protection than the Eighth Amendment, and that petitioner was deprived of basic hygiene in confinement in violation of the constitution
State v. Randall
Concurrence wrote that police dog’s intrusion into car during a traffic stop was an illegal search, as using an exterior car sniff by a dog is a search under the state constitution
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
People v. McDaniel
Ruled that the state constitution does not require unanimity in jury's determination of disputed aggravating circumstances
State v. Melvin
Ruled that acquitted conduct may not be considered in sentencing defendants under state constitution’s heightened due process rights and right to a criminal trial by jury
Brooks v. Ewing Cole, Inc.
Ruled pretrial decision denying a government defendant’s right to a sovereign immunity defense in a negligence action was an immediately appealable collateral order
Pinckney v. Peeler
Ruled that statute removing confederate flag from capital and renaming other historic items did not violate prohibition on special laws or home rule provision, but severed provision requiring a supermajority to amend the law
Fay v. Fox
Ruled victim has right to be heard on merits of defendant’s motion for a delayed appeal of restitution award under due process, prompt restitution, and finality provisions of Victims’ Bill of Rights
