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 2024.
Featured Cases
Genser v. Butler County Board of Elections
Held citizens whose mail-in ballots were disqualified for a failure to return them in the required secrecy envelope have a right to cast a provisional ballot and have it count.
Gonzalez v. Miller
Unanimously affirmed the denial of a district attorney’s effort to dismiss a state Open Records Act request relating to her office’s “failure . . . to effectively prosecute criminal cases, and an open disregard for the laws of the State of Georgia"
Republican National Committee v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc
The Georgia Supreme Court left in place a lower court ruling that several controversial new election rules are “illegal, unconstitutional, and void.” The rules would have made election certification discretionary, required hand-counting the number of ballots, made drop boxes harder to use, and expanded the role of poll watchers. The appeal will proceed on a normal schedule, which means the state supreme court will fully consider the challenge against the rules over the next few months.
State v. Bell
Ruled that the a police officer may not make a warrantless arrest for a DUI committed outside the officer’s presence
Caulkins v. Pritzker
Ruled that state ban on assault weapons with exemptions did not deny equal protection or amount to unconstitutional special legislation
State v. Benton
Ruled that a possible confidential informant was a state agent when questioning defendant, thus violating defendant's right to counsel
State v. Rivers
Declined to hold that there is greater protection of the right to a jury drawn from fair cross section of the community under the state constitution than the federal constitution
Chevron U.S.A. v. Monterey County
Struck down local ordinance prohibiting coastal oil drilling and fracking activities as preempted by state law
State v. Watson
Held that first-time in-court identifications can be conducted only if there is “good reason”
Draper v. Gentry
Held that defendants are permitted discovery from victims if defendant seeks evidence of “constitutional dimension” and the requested discovery is “very likely” to contain such evidence
People v. Posey
Held that law requiring appellate courts to affirm all criminal sentences fitting within the legislature's sentencing guidelines violated the right to appeal
Planned Parenthood v. South Carolina
Held that abortion ban does not violate the constitution’s right to privacy or guarantees of equal protection or due process
State ex. rel. Raúl Torrez v. Board of County Commissioners for Lea County
Petitioner claims that abortion bans violate the constitution’s Equal Rights Amendment, guarantees of liberty and due process, and protection of inherent rights
