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 August 2025.
Featured Cases
McDougle v. Scott
Virginia Supreme Court, in a split decision, nullified a constitutional amendment approved by voters that would have redrawn the state's congressional districts, finding the legislative process used for the amendment violated the state constitution
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
Johnson v. Wyoming
Wyoming Supreme Court struck down the state's abortion and medication abortion bans for violating a 2012 amendment that granted adults the right to make their own health care decisions
Tran v. Commonwealth
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held former state senator was not immune from criminal charges that he used his official position to secure unwarranted privileges by utilizing his senate staff for reelection campaign activities, under the state constitution's clause granting legislative privilege for deliberation and debate and under separation of powers principles
League of Women Voters of Greeley v. Board of County Commissioners of City of Weld
Held that the Colorado Constitution's Home Rule provision does not authorize counties to disregard state redistricting statutes
State v. James Ellis
Washington Supreme Court held restitution imposed on an indigent defendant did not violate state or federal excessive fines clause, finding the amount to be compensatory, not punitive
Wyoming Education Association v. State
Trial court found Wyoming was underfunding public schools in violation of its state constitutional duty to provide an equal opportunity for a quality education. The Wyoming Supreme Court is considering the state's appeal
Assurecare Adult Home v. Bolina
Washington Supreme Court will consider a challenge by residential caregivers to elderly and disabled adults to an exclusion in the state's minimum wage law for live-in caregivers, brought under the state constitution's "privileges and immunities" clause
State v. McFarland
Connecticut Supreme Court held that the state constitution’s due process provisions require a more protective balancing test for pre-arrest delay than the approach adopted by the majority of federal circuits under the federal due process clause
Wygant v. Lee (formerly Moore v. Lee)
Tennessee Supreme Court upheld state legislative maps passed in 2022 against challenges that the house map split more counties than necessary and the senate map failed to consecutively number districts
State v. McLain
Maine Supreme Court held that the state constitution's privilege against self-incrimination provides greater protection than the federal Fifth Amendment with respect to waiving that privilege
Taking Offense v. State of California
California Supreme Court upheld against a First Amendment challenge a law that prohibits staff at long-term care facilities from “willfully and repeatedly” failing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns
