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
In Re: Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission Rules and Code of Conduct
Declined to approve proposed rules written by a new politically appointed body to investigate, discipline, and remove elected prosecutors
Mellowitz v. Ball State University
Upheld law prohibiting class actions against postsecondary educational institutions to recover losses stemming from Covid-19
People v. Debellis
Ruled that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to request charge on the only defense supported by the trial testimony
People v. Rodriguez
Held that a bicycle stop is a seizure and that police may not initiate encounters with bicyclists absent reasonable suspicion of crime or probable cause of traffic violation
Rand v. New Hampshire
Trial court granted partial summary judgment to plaintiffs, finding that allowing municipalities to retain property tax collections in excess of the amount required for adequate education violated state constitution
Contoocook Valley School District v. New Hampshire
Trial court found state must spend $7,356.01 per child to provide constitutionally adequate education
Police Benevolent Association v. City of New York
Held that law making it a misdemeanor for police officers to restrain an arrestee in a manner that impedes their breathing is not impermissibly vague
State v. Oldenburg
Held that statute permitting trial court to seal criminal records violates separation of powers by impinging supreme court’s rulemaking power
Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice v. Drummond
Temporarily halted three state anti-abortion laws, finding that “a limited right to terminate a pregnancy was deeply rooted in Oklahoma’s history and tradition”
State v. Harrell
Ruled that the right to an impartial jury does not guarantee a criminal defendant a specific number of peremptory challenges