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
Indigenous Lifeways v. New Mexico Compilation Commission Advisory Committee
Ruled that ballot measure proposing constitutional amendment to reform a regulatory commission did not violate constitution’s single-measure rule
State v. Horton
Ruled that imposing life sentence on defendant under amended recidivist statute did not violate state constitution’s ex post facto and proportionality clauses
State v. Abu Youm
Dissent argued that majority fails to meaningfully apply Iowa’s two-part test concerning community caretaking exception to rule against unreasonable searches
State v. Lafoga
Dissent argued multiple constitutional missteps by trial court, including deprivation of right to be presumed not guilty, effective assistance of counsel, and impartial judge
State v. Purcell
Held that when an individual’s “substantial rights” are affected by a postconviction order, the order is appealable per constitutional right to appeal criminal convictions
City of Houston v. Houston Proffesional Fire Fighters Association
Ruled that provision of public employee law did not violate constitutional separation of powers because it established "reasonable standards" for judicial enforcement
Winchester v. State
Held that Maine courts must apply a “flexible balancing test” weighing all relevant circumstances in assessing speedy trial violations
In re Petition for Emergency Remedy By Maryland State Board of Elections
Ruled that election law delegating task of protecting electoral integrity to courts did not violate constitution’s separation of powers clause as the task was a judicial function
In re Smart
Ruled that state constitution does not bestow a legally protected interest in obtaining a commutation hearing that would implicate procedural due process rights
Commonwealth v. Privette
Ruled that investigating officers’ knowledge giving rise to reasonable suspicion can be imputed to an acting officer so long as there was awareness of some critical facts and communication with those officers